Revlis El'inmilnum
by Yavapai
Summary: AU In the shadow left by the surrender of their kingdom, a princess and her friends struggle to regain her throne, learning the secrets and long forgotten truths that have shaped the present and will change the future. F/F, HM and others; also Usa/Mam
1. Prologue

**Edited 10/19/08**

A/N: Some things you should know: This is AU with some obvious plot influence from the series. This is primarily a Haruka/Michiru fanfiction as you may guess, but there will also be other pairings. However, I don't want to give them away. The major plot points are mapped out from here to the end of this little fanfic and it's going to be quite a journey.

Major thanks to my beta, Soleil-Lune.

Let this disclaimer stand for the whole fic: Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi and not to my poor college student self.

**Revlis El'inmilnum**

_Prologue_

By Yavapai

It was an old forest, the trees thick and tall. Twilight was made permanent by the leafy canopies, and in the few clean rays of sunlight, pollen floated almost mystically. Foliage and vegetation of all kinds ran along the patches of dark soil. Travelers to this forest were few and far between, and there was no discernable path to guide the wary journeyman. Most avoided the ancient woods with the legend and myth that wrapped around the darken edge of massive trees.

But only one tale proved to be more than mere folklore.

In the heart of the forest, past the twilight and nightfall, the trees cleared and the sun fell, leaving a small brook, grass, and wildflowers. In the center of this clearing lay a shrine as ancient as the forest. Made of stone, it was simple and small, with the trees towering above it. It could have been mistaken for a house, yet larger and more decorative than most, and marked with a carved symbol upon the front of its entryway.

A lone figure resided inside. She appeared as a beautiful young woman with long dark green hair a shade close to black. Her skin, darker than most, was a smooth light brown akin to one with a deep tan. Crimson eyes belied her true age; deep and wise, resolved, yet with a hint of weariness. Her facial features were carefully crafted, strong, but feminine with high cheekbones and thick lashes.

Her long frame was currently hunched over a simple oaken desk. A quill in hand, she was writing furiously, the quill scratching sharply against the parchment. Jars of ink and sheets of parchment covered the desk as well as a few lit candles for extra aid. Sunlight spilled in through open archways, casting the rest of the room into light. It was filled with books and parchment; scrolls too were stacked together completing the opened study.

She wore a long, simple dark red tunic with a black cross pattern and black belt at the waist. Her arms were bare except for a metal bracelet, and her feet, crossed at the ankles were adorned in hemp sandals. She lifted her quill from the parchment, and dipped it into an open jar of ink.

Suddenly, she froze, the quill stilling in midair and dripping ink onto desk. Her visage adopted an expression of barely discernable surprise, which meant she was actually quite startled to warrant that much.

Her eyes closed and she breathed outward, composing herself in a small sigh.

She stood, crimson hues narrowing, and she concentrated her energy. An aura surrounded her, power breathing around her form in a dark glow and making her all the more intimidating. She grasped the staff leaning against the corner of her desk and wall. Slender and silver, it had some curious slightly protruding edges. The staff all together resembled a key, but the most striking feature was the deep red orb mounted onto the top.

She took a few measured steps forward, leaving her study and stepping into the sunlight of the clearing. She held the staff in a practiced hand, it fitting comfortably into her grasp. She appraised her clearing with a measured look, and then spoke, her tone sharp yet low.

"You must be here for a reason. Don't cower away in the bushes."

A laugh echoed her words, a man's laugh, cocky and sure. A lone figured stepped out of the shadows at the edge of the trees.

He was taller than most men. Slightly scuffed black leather boots took surefooted steps as he approached. His midnight blue shirt, open at the neck and wrists was of the finest cloth and matched his black pants well. There was little sign to his aging, his clean-shaven face only creased with a few lines and his dark hair held no tint of gray. He had a thick, muscled torso and arms, hinted at by his shirt. A simple black cloak was fastened as his neck with a gold chain and a hilt of a hulking broadsword stuck up over his right shoulder.

She leveled her glaze at him as he stopped a few paces from her.

"Ochas of Areth. Why do you come to Charon?"

He smiled emptily in response, giving her a small bow. "I'm glad to hear you know of me Pluto, deity to the people of Revlis El'inmilnum. Charon is quite a distance away and navigating this forest is certainly no small task."

"Why are you here?"

"Oh? You mean you don't know?" He said lightly, keeping his empty smile.

"Do not take me lightly Ochas. I'll ask once more. Why are you here?"

"My, my…being in this forest for so long sure has stunted your conversational skills." He lifted his left hand and closed it into a fist. She raised her staff immediately in response, the orb on top of it brimming with power.

A dozen more figures emerged from the trees as a reply to Ochas's signal, and made their way toward the couple. These, in contrast to the simple, yet fine clothes of Ochas, were clad in various forms of armor and wielded a selection of vicious weapons.

Pluto's remained impassive. "Are you a fool? Do you not know who I am?"

"Which identity do you speak of? Pluto, the Guardian of Time or your other name, your human name…the one that has been long forgotten…Setsuna, do you mind if I call you that?"

A flicker of surprise crossed her face, but she recovered. "An arrogant fool who knows more than most then. What is it that you want?"

The other figures had all finished their approach and now loosely circled the two. They held their weapons out warily posed at the slender Guardian of Time.

Ochas stepped out of the circle, walking past his warriors. Setsuna kept her gaze on him as he walked toward her shrine, laying a hand on the smooth stone. He regarded her out of the corner of his eyes with a small smile.

"Charon has been here for a long time. As have you. You do have something I require…" He turned then and leaned against the stone wall, his stare cutting, "the Garnet Orb."

The warriors shifted around Setsuna, drawing closer. She stood still, composed and unmoving.

"A dozen men are all you bring? I thought you knew my power." Setsuna answered, energy flaring around her at the last of her words.

Swiftly, she reached out and grabbed the wrist of the nearest man. Ochas watched with what could only be satisfied fascination as the life drained away from the man, his body collapsing and decomposing in upon itself and turning completely lifeless in the space of less than a second. The other warriors backed away in response, eyes widening in fear, perhaps just now realizing who they faced.

Ochas pushed through his terrified warriors, drawing his sword made for two hands and wielding it with ease in one. Setsuna was quick to meet his blade. She swung, unleashing the power in the Garnet Orb only to stop in her tracks in shock as he merely held out a hand, smoking in an obsidian power, dissolving the purplish energy of her attack.

Ochas smirked at her momentary surprise, but again, Setsuna was quick to recover. This time, power exploded from her body in a flare of purplish energy. The soldiers around her wheezed once, hands going to their chests, and pain crossing their faces. With their hearts completely stopped, the soldiers fell to the ground dead. Yet Ochas still stood.

He caught the swing of her staff with his blade, and unleashed an obsidian power with his free hand directly into her diaphragm.

Setsuna choked and froze. He brought his hand back a small width brimming with the dark energy that stilled her completely. Ochas smiled as Setsuna's face skewed into a grimace of pain.

"You know, I especially liked how you killed the first man…just sucked his time away. You are a deity, aren't you?" He brought back his sword, but kept his hand poised just away from her torso, her body remaining frozen.

Ochas stuck the blade of his sword downward, leaving it in the soil of the ground. His smile disappeared as he studied the Garnet Orb. "Now…how to get this…"

Setsuna glared at him, her mind racing. She struggled, mentally and physically, anything to free her from Ochas's dark magic, especially now as he seemed distracted. Yet she found nothing. Even Time was held just at the edge, unable to be released.

"Ah…that's it." Ochas suddenly said after a minute of utter silence. He held out his free hand, gathering the now familiar dark energy into it and gripped the top of the staff. Setsuna cried out, body twisting in pain as the Garnet Orb came free, separating from the staff.

Ochas smiled in triumph, releasing Setsuna as he grasped the Orb in both hands, looking at it with a lustful gleam. She dropped to the ground in a heap, unmoving.

Ochas ran a hand almost reverently across the Orb's smooth surface, before appraising the collapsed Guardian of Time with a raised eyebrow. "I won't kill you. After all, where would Time be without its mistress? I need you alive to still give power to the Garnet Orb…but I can't have you wandering off to warn others and form meager plans. Stay here for me, won't you?"

He raised his hand, and Setsuna, who had just lifted her head to watch him warily, heard him mumble a few inaudible words under his breath. More obsidian energy shot forth from his hand, this time doming over the clearing. Setsuna stiffened on the ground, trying to form her own power, but her limbs felt too weak, her muscles refusing to move. Her last sight before darkness claimed her was of Ochas, smiling at the Garnet Orb as he sheathed his sword and walked away.

* * *

"_It will only be a lunar cycle Haruka, and then we'll be back together. And Serenity will have returned by then too."_

"_Ah yeah…I don't see why I can't just go with you and then go to the mountain. We haven't been separated for this long since…"_

"_Since we've been together…yes."_

"_More than a full lunar cycle…agh…"_

"_If we traveled together that would double the journey. And while I certainly wouldn't mind, a lot of the people accompanying us would."_

"_Michiru, they don't really need us. We should stay in the capital anyway, they can go without us."_

"_But we told Serenity we would help as much as we could while she was gone. If they need us for something, it's the least we could do to honor our queen's words."_

"_Hmph."_

"_Oh, stop. It is only a lunar cycle and then we'll be back together."_

"_You don't seem to care all that much about being away from me. And you know it'll take longer than a lunar cycle."_

"_Stop pouting love. Of course I'm going to miss you. Do you want to spoil our last night together for awhile…or…would you like me to show you how much I'm going to miss you?"_

"_Come here you."_

"_Hmm…that's the Haruka I know."_

"_Well…I suppose it isn't that long of a time in the grand scheme of things."_

"_Exactly. Ah, what would Serenity say if she heard you being so optimistic?"_

"_Michiru, love?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_Shush."_

**Fin Prologue**

A/N: Alright let's play unscramble the anagrams! I'll negotiate a prize if you can unscramble them all! And if you were already privy to the answers…then you don't count.

The words to unscramble are:

-Ochas

-Areth

-Revlis El'inmilnum

Just use your knowledge of Sailor Moon…and you'll find it easy enough. :)

As always, all reviews are appreciated.


	2. Contract

A/N: Important! As clarification, just because the name of Revlis El'inmilnum is an anagram for Silver Millennium, it's not related to the SilMil that we know from canon. I use anagrams to provide a name and title that reflect back to Sailor Moon, but not necessarily relate to it. …If that makes sense…

Many thanks again to my beta Soleil-Lune, who despite having much more important things to do in life, still beta-read this for me. And trust me, this is a good thing. This wouldn't make any sense without her.

**Revlis El'inmilnum**

_Chapter One: Contract_

She watched from the arched window that opened into the sky with her element swirling by, teasing her hair and kissing her skin. Its touch was both refreshing and comforting as she sat in the window ledge. Her back rested comfortably against the narrow wall inside the arch, while one long leg dangled down and the other stretched out the length of the sill.

Her feet were bare, and her legs were covered by loose dark gray pants woven from cotton. The garment that hung from her upper body accentuated her figure. It was belted at the hips by a strip of aged brown leather. She had a long, almost lanky frame, but it was well-defined and feminine despite the androgynous clothes. Her face with its strong jaw line, straight nose, and high cheekbones, at first glance, appeared handsome, but at the second, it could only be said to be beautiful. Her hair, cut short, was nothing less than gold in the sunlight, and her eyes, both passionate and pained, were emeralds.

Her long-fingers reached into void that was her heavens and let her power become tangible in her palm; a swirling, condensed mass of air. With a smile, she released it, letting the air join the freedom experienced by its brethren.

"…I wish I could join you…"

Her words were but a faint murmur, quickly lost into the winds of the sky. She continued to survey the world from her window, noting the wispy clouds even higher above and the rocky face of the mountain jutting down beneath her. The other mountains surrounding her rose high, but there were not near as elevated as her dwelling.

She resided on top of Suwdin G'nrih, highest mountain in all of Revlis El'inmilnum, alone in her shrine Miranda. The mountain was steep and rocky, there was but one small path and a three day journey from the base to her airy, isolated shrine. Trees dotted its surface below, and though the surrounding mountains all displayed snowcapped peaks, Suwdin G'nrih was unique with its shrine. Surprisingly, it was warm on the top; the weather matched what was found at its base, the result of an ancient magic as old as Miranda.

Miranda, with its sand colored stones, had narrow, spiraling towers, each marked with the symbol of the Guardian of the Heavens. There was no glass or shutters to be found, but only open windows and archways that looked out into sky. The shrine was not lacking in comfort, despite its stone appearance. Thick rugs, overstuffed pillows, and billowy sheets were numerous, ancient as well, but preserved with the magic of the shrine.

Long had she dwelled there, only known to the world as Uranus, the Guardian of the Heavens. She guided the winds of Revlis El'inmilnum, bringing a cool breeze on a hot summer's day or ushering in clouds when the lack of rain was just too much. It was monotonous for her, one who years ago had treasured her freedom. Now she was bound to the shrine, Miranda was her home and would remain so as long as the kingdom stood.

Damn them.

It was long ago, but the memory still burned. She felt no love for the country, and those individuals that originally put her here. She only protected the skies of Revlis El'inmilnum out of her own love for the wind and heavens, and a bit of lingering duty and love to the ancient and long deceased Queen Serenity. Only a taste of bitterness accompanied thoughts of the kingdom now, the kingdom that damned her to the heavens away from almost everything she cared for and alone for generations.

How long had it been since she stepped outside the sacred grounds of Miranda? How long had it been since she had last seen the one she loved?

Eyes closed, and facing the wind, she concentrated. She felt the individual breezes sweeping across the kingdom. It mattered not that it was days, weeks away for this was her domain and her power. She picked one and guided it, feeling the hint of the ocean as the wind broke against its surface.

Green eyes opening, Haruka smiled.

Some days that was all she could do. She would sit on her favorite window ledge, facing the distant ocean, and guide the wind into constantly grazing the sea.

A stray breeze caused her to sit up sharply and break her reflection.

People. People on Suwdin G'nrih, on her mountain. Nearly at the entrance to Miranda.

Her eyes narrowed in contemplation. It was not time for the yearly festival in her celebration, in which a few brave souls were chosen to climb Suwdin G'nrih and offer her, Uranus, the Guardian of the Skies, gifts.

The breeze brought with it, a hint of darkness…it was…

Unsettling.

She leapt to her feet in quick grace, leaving her favorite window ledge behind. Placed carefully against the wall next to her were two swords. One was a long sword for two hands in a wooden scabbard adorned with carvings that embodied the wind. The other had a slightly wider curved blade and decorative hilt made for one hand, its scabbard, however, was leather with a simple metal finish that slipped over its edge. Grabbing both, she slipped the longer one onto the left side of her belt, and the other went to the right.

She did not quite dash through her home, but she took it at a fast walk; better to greet these people when they arrived and see what they wanted. Down through spiraling staircases, crossing open breezeways, and through the curving hallways, she arrived to the entryway of her home. The entrance had huge stone columns and a roof over head. A thick royal blue rug guided the way to a few carved steps that led to the path down the mountain.

She knew that last step particularly well, for it was as far as she could ever go.

She waited at the top of the steps, arms casually crossed, and hearing their footfalls steadily grow louder. The first to make it around the final curve of the path to the top was a man in dark nondescript clothing with light leather armor. He froze upon seeing her staring down at him from the top of the steps, his only movements coming from his heavy breathing. She could visibly see him gulp and allowed herself to smirk ever so slightly.

He took a step back and turned, calling out to those behind him. "Y-Your Majesty…w-we're here."

She raised an eyebrow at that. Could it be that she had not been entirely forgotten by the royal family?

The next man to appear was powerfully built with thick dark hair and no armor to speak of. A baldric wrapped around his black shirt and the hilt of a hefty sword protruded from underneath his traveling cloak. There was a trail of about a dozen people following him, all panting from exertion. He alone seemed to break no sweat. She was surprise to see the first man bow as this one past him.

In confusion, she narrowed her eyes at him. He was not of the royal line of Revlis El'inmilnum. Who was he then? Why was he here?

"Honored Guardian, Uranus of the Heavens, please permit me an audience. I have traveled far and high to see and speak with you."

His words were polite and gracious, but they did nothing to make her fill at ease. His black eyes seemed to smolder and no sunlight reflected in them. He stood tall, and did not bend his head even a little.

Despite her unease, she nodded her head and turned her back. If nothing else, this would prove to be a break from the monotony. She took a few steps, then paused and turned back around, remembering something.

"Tell your men that there's fresh water here if they need, gathered from the clouds. Just follow this rug straight through the hallway and you'll find the pool."

She watched him turn to consider those following him and then nod his head. She smirked at the grateful sighs following the action. She pivoted and begin walking slowly, allowing him to catch up.

"Who are you?" She spoke once she guided him out of the entryway, passing through the sandstone hallways at a leisurely pace.

"Ochas, the Emperor-King of Areth." His voice was smooth and deep, it should have put her at ease, yet the unsettling feeling only magnified.

"Areth? The only Areth I know was once a city-state."

"Areth is now a great empire, controlling most of the territories north of Revlis El'inmilnum. You have been bound here a long time, haven't you Haruka?"

She whirled at the name, so lightly spoken; the first time that name had passed lips in ages. In a blink she had her sword drawn, the one from her left hip, and steadied at his exposed throat.

He held up his hands disarmingly and smiled.

"What is your business with me?" Haruka hissed. The winds swirled angrily, the stranger's cloak flapping in the breeze.

"I require your assistance Uranus...or Haruka, whichever you prefer."

His lighthearted tone and words only made her angrier. Sneering, she pushed forward, backing him toward the edge of a window that she knew dropped several hundred feet down the sheer face of Suwdin G'nrih. "Do not call me Haruka, stranger. You have not earned my trust. How do you even know such a name?"

He seemed unworried by the threat she was presenting and replied back easily. "I read. Quite extensively mind you. From books and records long forgotten, you can find knowledge no one else is aware of. Of course, these books are often difficult to find and obtain."

"What do you want?" She growled, cutting off his casual ramblings.

"I have a proposition."

"And why should I even listen to it." Haruka pushed the blade forward even more, so that the tip of it grazed his neck.

"Because I think you value your freedom. I think you value your chance to live in the world again." His voice dropped low to that of a near whisper, "I think you would value any opportunity to see her again."

She froze, her breath caught in her throat, and her heart pounding hard inside her chest. Was he possibly suggesting…?

"Yes." He replied immediately as if able to read her thoughts. "I can break the magic binding you here. I told you, I read. You can learn many things by reading."

"What's the catch?"

Ochas laughed; a deep throaty chuckle that sent shivers down her spine. He raised a hand, and pressed two fingers on the blade threatening his life. Haruka found herself letting him push it downwards and away.

"You'll have to serve me. Assist me in taking over this kingdom that you protect."

"Serve you? No thanks." She sneered, tightening the grip on the sword in her hand.

"Don't be so hasty. I'll still let you have your freedom. But I need your power. The heavens answer to you, how can I possibly battle that?" Ochas answered.

Something about his last words made her feel even more decidedly uncomfortable. First was the unsettling feeling and his knowledge of her name. Then there was the fact that he at least claimed to possess the power to break the magic binding her to Miranda. And finally, the way he posed this question, rhetorical and offhanded.

"Besides, what loyalty do you owe to Revlis El'inmilnum? The same country that betrayed you so many generations ago! Your only ally, the royal family, has long since forgotten you. And yet, you still guard their skies. You owe them nothing."

"Nothing…" She echoed him. Ochas made sense, perhaps too much so.

"I'll give you your life back, and your love. Michiru…Isn't that what they use to call her?"

Her sword was up in a flash, back at his throat and the winds howled, even more than before. She saw a blink of surprise cross his face. Satisfied, she growled, pressing in close. "You have no right to speak her name!"

His voice did not quaver, nor was there any sign of lingering surprise when he spoke. "Neptune then. No matter, I can give you a reunion. All you have to do is serve me."

Haruka stared at him hard, trying to peer into his soul. All she saw was the endless black depths of his eyes. There was nothing there to tell her what kind of man this Ochas was, nothing to go on. Yet he spoke truth. Bitter truth.

Revlis El'inmilnum had kept her locked away high upon Suwdin G'nrih for so many years that time had begun to melt and become utterly meaningless. She had been separated from everything and everyone. What allegiance did she owe the kingdom? And Michiru…

Lowering her sword, she closed her eyes for a moment and collected herself and her resolve.

Opening them, she met the steady gaze of Ochas and gave her answer.

"Done."

Ochas smiled. "Excellent."

She watched curiously as he held out his right hand, fingers bent at the knuckles. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Obsidian energy began to wrap around his fingers, twisting and coiling, until it enshrouded his entire hand and wrist. Then he gestured for her to take it.

Haruka hesitated, but only for a moment. And then took his hand.

The obsidian power immediately began winding up her arm and gradually down her entire body. It swirled around her like her own winds, but thicker and darker. And then she felt the magic binding her to Miranda, a heavy constriction that she was always faintly physically aware of, being smothered. The dark energy of Ochas swooped in on her. She felt it enter her being, and she was bound all over again. It was akin to what tied her to Miranda, the chains were not visible, but they were there. She cried out at the sudden painful wrenching constriction, similar, she remembered to what happened so many years ago. This time though, it was darker and heavier.

And then it was done.

She gasped, shaking off the pain and realized Ochas was breathing heavily too. She recognized his weakness, a faint reassurance that he was not all powerful and his actions did take a lot out of him.

Once she somewhat recovered, still panting with her head bowed, Haruka looked up, fury etched onto her face.

"What was that!? You took away the binding magic only to replace it with another!"

He frowned, wiping sweat off his brow with the back of his hand. "A magical contract. You agreed to it."

"You never mentioned-" She started to protest, but was quickly cut off by Ochas.

"Does it matter? Don't worry. You'll still get what you want. This is just to make sure I get what I want."

"Bastard!" Haruka growled, wanting to raise her sword against him, only to find the magical contract prevented it.

"No." Ochas answered matter-of-factly. He began to walk, heading back the way they came, and calling back to her. "I'm not cruel and I won't go back on my word. You'll still get your freedom and your beloved. Gather your things. We will leave soon. There is much to do."

* * *

_Her father had served as the head court musician for the Lord and Lady Onom of Talrysc Kotyo since his early years. He had been skilled in all forms of music, and had even developed a new instrument which he named the violin. He always told her it was his most favorite accomplishment after her. _

_She had been brought up in the keep of the Onom family, a small, comfortable castle of ancient origins. From there, the Onom family had ruled the gradually expanding city-state of Talrysc Kotyo. The city had always been prosperous, but she remembered how quickly it grew during her childhood, especially after the premature death of both the Lord and Lady Onom. The Lady Serenity Onom had always been something beyond the ordinary._

_She remembered from an early age how composed the older girl had been. Wise, graceful, and full of warmth, even from afar. Serenity had been her elder by a few years and the Lord and Lady's daughter, while she had merely been the daughter of the court musician, no matter how highly praised. The first time they spoke was after she first performed on her father's violin for the Lord and Lady Onom. She had pledged her loyalty to Serenity after that one brief exchange at a mere seven years of age. That same night she had heard the ocean calling for her for the first time._

_The Lord and Lady Onom died not shortly afterwards. The Lady murdered by an assassin from a conniving neighbor city-state, jealous of Talrysc Kotyo's prosperity. The Lord Onom perished in the subsequent war that followed. Bitter disputes echoed throughout the numerous city-states in the next few years. None could really say how the peninsula became entirely engulfed in battle and many fell. Her father had been included in that number, thwarting an assassination on the last surviving member of the Onom family. That was the second time she had spoken to Serenity. She had been eleven, Serenity eighteen._

"_I'll bring peace to the land. Your father…"_

"_My lady…please. You know the loss just as much as I do."_

_Serenity had smiled, sadly. "Michiru…you are more of a lady than I am, even at your age. I'll make things better though, for everyone."_

_Serenity was right. In five more years, she was well on her way to uniting all the city-states of the peninsula and had already formed the fledgling kingdom of Revlis El'inmilnum with Talrysc Kotyo as the capitol._

_In that same five years, Michiru grew closer to Serenity, aiding her whenever possible even if it entailed nothing more than playing a relaxing melody on her father's violin to soothe her spirit. Incredibly, Michiru found herself surpassing even the greatest of water mages during that same span of time. She felt the sea answering to her and whispering to her secrets of its depths. Even in Talrysc Kotyo, a good distance from the shore, she found that she could calm the seas to guide a ship safely to harbor. She could manipulate her water with barely an effort, calling on it to aid, defend, or attack. She was unequaled in the new kingdom, except by Serenity herself._

_And then, one day, Michiru woke up and her world changed._

_It was a morning like most other mornings in Talrysc Kotyo. The old keep, her home for all these years, was currently being expanded to better fit a home of a true royal family, and was bustling under the construction. She awoke to the yelling of men, busy in their work. Rising out of bed, she was quick to brush off sleep and sat about making herself presentable._

_She quickly found the bucket of water left in her chambers over the night. Taking a cloth, she dipped it in the water and washed her face. Feeling fully awake, she slipped out of her nightgown and after looking through her modest selection of clothes, chose a simple dark tunic and loose pants - clothes for working and training. Once she had her sandals on, she picked up her ivory brush and took a seat at the small bench sat up at her window. She opened the wooden shutters and looked out over Talrysc Kotyo._

_The sun had mostly risen and the city was awakening beneath her. She much preferred this view compared to the old one. Her quarters had been moved closer to Serenity's since her father's death, and now she had a view of the city and of the river running through it. _

_Michiru smiled contentedly and began to brush through her aqua hair. No others held this particular shade of blue and green with the waves and curls that fell perfectly around her face. She was aware that many saw it as a physical reminder of her power over the ocean, with its hue and style. Finished, she sat the brush down on the bench and stole a glance out of her brass mirror at the delicate face that had been called beautiful by many. She gave herself a moment to wonder briefly on her parents, the father she knew for a dozen years and the mother she could not remember. Her sea-blue eyes must be from her mother for her father's had been slate grey. Her hair too, as her father's hair was ink black and straight in his prime._

_Michiru snapped out of her reverie and withdrew her gaze from the mirror. She briefly shook her head, wondering what it was about mirrors that always made her see more than the tangible. Finished, she left her chambers._

_Her first objective of the day was to find breakfast and then the Queen. With any luck, she would find both together. She navigated the hallways with ease, passing by all manners of people with their own agendas. Many gave nods of respect as they brushed by, something she was still growing accustomed to._

_Cutting through numerous hallways and rooms, she arrived to the large terrace where she knew Serenity liked to have breakfast and a bit of peace if the day was nice. Just like she thought, Serenity sat there at a small table in the corner, looking out over the gardens. She had changed little in five years and showed no signs of aging yet. This was despite the stress Michiru knew she was under. Her silver blond hair, worn piled in two buns at the top of her head glittered in the morning sunlight and she was wearing a simple yet elegant green dress. Michiru always felt she paled in comparison to Serenity._

"_Michiru, good morning."_

"_Good morning Serenity."_

_Serenity smiled at the greeting and gestured toward the breakfast laid out at the table. Michiru nodded her thanks and took a seat beside the queen._

"_I am glad someone around here still calls me that. Even my old nursemaid calls me 'your majesty' now." Serenity replied, spreading strawberry preserves onto a biscuit._

"_I only call you Serenity because you've been after me for years to call you that. My stubbornness could not hold up to yours." Michiru said, picking up a piece of fruit._

"_You turn seventeen next week do you not?"_

"_Yes."_

"_We'll have to do something to celebrate."_

"_That's…unnecessary." Michiru swallowed._

"_Nonsense. Besides, too many people know of you and they would not accept a lack of a celebration."_

"_Please, Serenity. I'm not a noble or from any important family."_

_Serenity's gaze intensified on Michiru, who was once again reaffirmed with just a look as to how the queen managed all that she did. "What have I told you?"_

_Michiru felt herself weakening under that stare. A look that leveled the greatest of city-states. "That bloodline and status are not important."_

_Serenity smiled and Michiru felt warmth replace the previous cold. "Exactly."_

"_Even if you say that, I think it would be hard to change those that have lived and upheld that tradition for ages…"_

"_Everyone deserves love, freedom, and equality Michiru. Everyone. Well perhaps we can reach a compromise on your birthday later. I've been meaning to ask you, but it keeps slipping my mind, how is your progress on creating another violin?"_

"_Difficult. I can't seem to hollow out the wood just enough like my father did. And I've been busy with other things; there hasn't been much of chance to work on it. At this rate, the only violin in existence will be my father's creation."_

"_I'm sure you will get it at some point."_

_A peaceful silence fell between the two as they basked in the morning sun. Michiru finished her apple, placing the core in front of her to be gathered later by the staff. Serenity wiped daintily at her mouth with the corner of her napkin and then spoke again._

"_There will be a feast tonight, to welcome our newest ally."_

"_Your vassals, Serenity."_

"_Ally, Michiru." Serenity admonished. "The last surviving heir of the Tenoh family, an ancient and noble family that has long ruled over its land and holdings. If only they could have joined us sooner…"_

"_They're our enemy."_

"_Up until last night. I grieve for their losses. At least now, less blood will be spilt. Peace grows ever closer."_

_Michiru thoughts spun into reflection. From an early age, she had done her best to emulate Serenity. She was a perfect lady in every aspect, composed, beautiful, and polite. Yet Serenity held a compassion and love for all people, something that Michiru could not even begin to understand. To care even for the losses of the enemy…_

_This was good news though. The land that the Tenoh family ruled over was large and held vast amounts of fertile soil. Serenity won back her attention with a light touch at her wrist._

"_Will you play tonight?"_

"_Yes, of course."_

_Serenity smiled her thanks before standing and Michiru quickly jumped to her feet with her. "I'll call for you if I need anything during the day. What will you be doing?"_

"_Honing my magic for the most part. I suppose I will go through a few songs on the violin as well to make sure I have something for tonight. When is the Tenoh heir supposed to arrive?" Michiru replied._

"_Not until late afternoon thankfully. I have much to do today."_

_They parted ways there. Michiru lingered, watching Serenity as she gracefully exited the terrace only to be swamped with attendants and messengers immediately after she passed through the glass doors, signaling the start of her work for the day. _

_Michiru left the peaceful garden and wound her way through the old. Taking a detour to avoid construction, she made it to a side gate of the keep walls. She slipped through with a wave to the guard and found herself among the busy city streets of Talrysc Kotyo. She navigated her way through the crowded streets, avoiding attention adeptly. Eventually she arrived at the newly expanded city walls, and with a nod to the guardsman, let herself out of the small door by the river._

_Michiru preferred the upstream river outside of the city. Downstream, once the river had snaked its way through the streets and back out again, the water was often filthy and unfit for anything except irrigation. But upstream, the water was clear, and the riverbed could be seen even a few feet deep. There, still in sight of the road, but with plenty of privacy, she would practice her magic, bending and creating water for her use. She would often sit on the riverbank too, and listen for hours to the ocean and its call._

_A year ago, she had been challenged to a mage's duel by one who at the time had been regarded as the greatest of water mages in the fledgling Revlis El'inmilnum. He had been annoyed at her cool confidence and politely veiled words. He was determined to show her she was still much too young and inexperienced. Oh, she had never been boastful, it was not ladylike at all, but she was never one to hide her power either. The duel had ended before it barely began, in her favor of course._

_The day passed quickly for her, lost in the world of her sea. The sun was approaching the horizon when she decided to head back to the palace to prepare for the evening. She followed the riverbank back to the city walls, ignoring the road just a few paces away in favor of the water. She played it with barely a thought, a flick of her finger and blink of her eyes sending arcs of water skipping and spouts shooting up over the surface. Hearing hoof beats echoing off the road, she let the water alone, unwilling to draw attention. Mages were not uncommon, but in any case, she preferred to go unnoticed and mages playing with their element were hardly overlooked._

_She continued to walk along the riverbank with the hoof beats leveling closer to her. About a half a dozen horses at most, she guessed. And compelled, she looked up to examine the riders. It was but a moment, but the world seemed to still._

_Michiru was suddenly aware of a strong breeze, picking up and playing with her hair, ruffling her clothes. A pale hand went to her face, moving an errant strand of hair and in that instance sea-blue met bright green._

_The horses thundered past, and Michiru frozen, could only stare after them, the breeze dying down and then stilling. Lips slightly parted, the edge of her fingertips lingered at her cheek in remembrance of the cool touch of the breeze._

_She blinked and the moment passed, leaving her with a bemused smile, and wondering exactly what had just occurred. Without giving it another thought, she continued her trek back to the city walls, noticing the riders had taken the road around toward one of the main gates._

_Her journey back to the keep went as smoothly as her journey out. She was quick to prepare for the evening, first visiting the women's bath, before returning to her chambers. Out of her modest selection of clothes, she choose a sunset red dress with divided elbow length sleeves that tied over the shoulder and arms, and a generous square neckline. The skirt was long and relatively loose, but also held a thigh-high split to aid with movement as was the current fashion. _

_And then with care, she slowly picked up her father's violin from its resting place. Running her fingertips over its smooth mahogany surface, she smiled at her father's creation. A knock on her door, broke her out of her reverie._

"_Come in."_

_A servant entered, remaining respectfully in the doorway. Bowing her head, she spoke, "Lady Michiru, the Queen says to come whenever you are ready."_

"_Tell her I'll be right there." Michiru replied impassively, but she turned away to hide the smirk creeping up on her features. That was Serenity's way of telling her to come immediately._

_The servant nodded her head at the dismissal, and left, closing the door gently behind her._

_Michiru brought the violin up to her neck, and taking the bow, ran a few warm up cords across the strings. "Lady Michiru?" Really. Just five years ago she was nothing but a musician's daughter that was ladylike in behavior, but not in name where it mattered most. She played through a scale, and then launched into the beginning of the song that she had already chosen to play. Satisfied, she lowered the violin and bow, and forced herself to give just a spot check in her mirror before leaving her chambers without dwelling on any other thoughts._

_The halls were mostly empty, evidence that the feast was underway. She made her way quickly to the new and opulent grand hall, where all feasts where held since its completion a mere six lunar cycles ago. She heard the noise and mirth echoing through the hallways as she approached. She passed by the kitchens, inhaling the food, and remembering she had only had a piece of fruit earlier than day. She put the thoughts aside, knowing she could eat after she played. _

_Michiru entered the grand hall through a side door as was her habit, near the kitchens' entrance. The hall was packed. Nobles and important individuals from Talrysc Kotyo and the representatives of the different, old city-states that were now apart of Serenity's court, crowded the three long tables. The main courses had been laid out and wine was pouring from every cup. Many were sampling the breads, fruits, vegetables, and a variation of cheeses. Servants darted in and out, refilling cups and fetching more food, or playing messengers between the people gathered._

_Serenity, from the head of the middle and largest table, looked up and nodded as she entered. Michiru was aware of eyes following her as she made her way to Serenity, protectively holding the violin. Beside Serenity, to her left, was one empty seat, and to her right, was the back of a figure with short blonde hair in a finely tailored blue shirt with gold stitching along the collar and sleeves. Michiru took her position a few paces behind and to the left of the queen, waiting for her cue to begin._

_Serenity turned in her seat to smile warmly at Michiru who returned it with a small smile of her own. The queen then stood, holding her wine glass, and the grand hall immediately quieted. As soon as silence reigned, she gestured toward Michiru with her right arm. That was all the introduction that was needed, and she raised her bow. With one mellow note to set the key, she launched into the song, which was a jaunty, cheerful melody that took the listener through a busy city market. _

_She played unaware of the eyes upon her, or the stillness in the grand hall and even the lack of noise issuing forth from the kitchens. Her own eyes closed, directing the song instinctively, weaving a complicated melody._

_It was sudden; a light breeze brushing against her. It could not be real, not in this hall where the air was still. Yet she felt it nevertheless. Compelled again, just like she had experienced earlier by the river, her eyes opened and met bright green. The song wavered, unnoticed by the rest, a sixteenth note going sharp, but Michiru was a professional and quick to recover. _

_She finished the melody, and, as always, the applause was thunderous. Michiru smiled politely and bowed her head. For her, however, it was never about the applause and praise. The elation that she received from music and the smile that she received from Serenity was worth more than the acclamation of any._

_A servant appeared at her side, one that she knew and trusted. With care, she placed the violin into his hands and supplied him with a nod of thanks. The servant hurried off, aware of his duties in accordance to the treatment of the prized instrument, while Michiru took the empty seat before her. It was another argument that Michiru lost to Serenity. She was aware of the many that were offended by the seat immediately next to the queen that was reserved for her alone._

"_Excellent performance as always." Serenity said with radiating warmth and happiness radiating, and commanding her attention._

"_Thank you." Michiru replied, reaching patiently for the food placed before her. Her hunger was suddenly prevalent, yet she selected small portions, maintaining the ever-present ladylike dignity that was of the utmost importance to her. Then suddenly, without anything else to distract her, she looked up and across._

_She couldn't breath, but she could feel her heart almost painfully beating in her chest. There were the green eyes, intense and beautiful. But it was more than that; Michiru could feel the other's presence, a powerful, confident aura that was nonetheless underscored with warmth and playfulness. _

"_Yes…" The green-eyed stranger spoke, "That instrument and… your playing were beautiful. It was quite unlike anything I've ever heard before."_

_There was something more to those words. A sliver of a question? A hint of uncertainty?_

_Serenity laughed, obviously pleased. For once, she seemed not to be picking up on the atmosphere, a cautious curiosity between the two. Or perhaps she was aware of something presently beyond either of them. "Haruka of house Tenoh this is Michiru from the Kaioh family, my personal musician and friend."_

_So this was the Tenoh heir, Michiru reflected, the owner of the green eyes that compelled her attention. She was beautiful._

_And there was something else there, beyond the green eyes and the aura. Something that caused the breeze on the road to react so curiously and the bit of wind that interrupted her song from nowhere. Something that echoed similarly in her own soul._

"_Lady Michiru-" Haruka began seriously, but with interest etched into her features.._

"_Just Michiru, please."_

_Haruka nodded, and without hesitation continued, an intense stare directed upon her. "I hope we get to see much more of each other."_

**Fin Chapter**

A/N: Time to unscramble the words! Here are the ones for this chapter.

- Suwdin G'nrih

- Onom

- Talrysc Kotyo

Think Sailor Moon for the second two, they're relatively easy. The last one is two words, but each of the letters are restricted to the word they're currently in. The first is hard, and I'll be really impressed if you get it. I give Soleil-Lune credit for coming up with it. A hint or two for the first one: it really is all mixed up (two words, but letters aren't restricted to the word they're currently in), and, more importantly, think elemental.

The prologue's anagrams, which most of you got were: Chaos, Earth, and Silver Millenium.

To preview for next chapter: We pay a visit to the current Talrysc Kotyo and get to meet up with nearly all the rest of the cast.

All reviews are, of course, appreciated!


	3. Foreboding

A/N: Thank you everybody, for the warm support I've received thus far.

Major props to Soleil-Lune for beta-ing.

**Revlis El'inmilnum**

_Chapter Two: Foreboding_

"I can feel it you know. The sea doesn't even have to tell me. The winds are wild and dark…What are you doing?"

Though her voice was soft, it caught and echoed off the walls. She looked down into a hand mirror. The mirror was ancient and sublime. Its handle and frame tinted burnished gold. A willowy nymph that bent around the mirror in a sweeping curved line graced over the edge of its surface. Despite her willpower, its face remained a slate, not even issuing a reflection. It had been as such for a while.

Her own face remained impassive, a cool mask of elegance and beauty, but the sea responded to her worry. It receded deep around Triton, before rushing back to crash against its walls.

Smoothly, she tucked the mirror securely back into her belt and looked out over the sea. Her eyes ventured to the land in the distance, wishing, once again, to leave her oceanic prison.

Queen Serenity XI leaned back in her throne and regarded the weary man before her. The messenger was young, his clothes ripped and torn. Dirt and bloodstains clung to the material of his garments. He stood unsteadily on his feet, and though he kept his eyes downcast, she could feel the anguish pooled there.

"Rest now. Your journey has been long, and I know your sorrow must be deep. You have seen things that should only be reserved for nightmares, yet still you traversed as swiftly as you could in loyalty to your kingdom. Words are useless in expressing the thanks that you deserve. Please, if you need anything, do not hesitate to ask."

The man sank to his knees then, exhaustion and a sliver of relief winning out and reflecting in his voice. "T-Thank you, your majesty."

Serenity turned her head, finding one of her personal servants standing in the shadows of the throne room. Reaching out an arm, she beckoned to him. The servant approached quickly, climbing the few steps of the dais, and with a short routine bow, waited at the left arm of the throne.

"Take him to one of the guest rooms. Make sure he has food, water, and wine. Show him where the baths are, and get him some new clothes."

The servant nodded his head, and moved to assist the messenger. The Queen took a moment to consider the large throne room and its myriad of occupants from all different stations in life. Some of the people were illuminated with the sunlight that filtered in through the high windows. Others remained in the shadows cast by the marble white columns, and still others leaned against the walls where banners hung depicting the crescent of Revlis El'inmilnum.

The Queen stood just as the servant led the messenger out of the room via one of the backdoors. She smoothed out the front of her dress, a simple flowing design which matched her eyes, a brilliant silvery blue that inspired confidence and regality. The only sign of her age were the small crow's feet at the corners of her eyes. She brushed a strand of her unbound silver hair aside, and turned toward the two figures, a male and a female, waiting at the bottom of the dais, parallel to her throne. They both nodded simultaneously, but that was where the similarities ended.

He had long straight white hair and dark eyes. His face was handsome, although normally jovial, a slight frown graced his features currently. Tall, his stance was relaxed, and he wore his loose white shirt well. He carried no weapons, and the only adornment he had was a crescent necklace, the ancient symbol of Revlis El'inmilnum.

She stood more stiffly; a tenseness about her shoulders. Her dark hair curled around her face and tumbled down her back. Her worry was evident, her jaw clenched, and lavender eyes hard. Her dress was short (one of the current trends) and its yellow color contrasted nicely with her dark hair. Unlike the rest of the women gathered in the court, she wore no jewelry, but she needed none.

They stepped behind the Queen as she made the walk down the red stretch of carpet, keeping to the customary paces behind her in this orthodox setting. Nobles and servants alike bowed as she passed, officially ending the public court for the day by traditional standards. Two final servants bowed as they pass through the great doors of the throne room. As soon as all three had stepped through the doorframe and entered the main hallway of the palace, Serenity spoke.

"Honestly you two, walk with me, not behind me. You should know that by now."

Artemis smiled helplessly and exchanged a meaningful glance with Luna. They both caught the meaning of Serenity's short tone and her quickening pace. She was agitated, and more than that, she was worried.

"Of course, Serenity." Luna responded as both quickened their steps to match the queen's.

Silence prevailed as they made their way down the hallway until Serenity sighed suddenly, slowing her pace. She gave them a wan smile. "I apologize. That was uncalled for."

"It's okay. We know you didn't mean anything by it." Artemis said reassuringly from her left.

A glimmer of amusement played in her eyes. "I suppose we've been over it enough times, I know when to pick my battles with my citizens. And I don't think we'll ever be able to shake off such stifling traditions without giving any of the nobles or aristocrats a heart attack."

Artemis chuckled, running a hand through his white hair, while Luna gave an appreciative smile.

They turned and began climbing one of the grand staircases of the palace, earning respectful nods from some passing minor nobles and deeper bows from servants on the way. At the top of the staircase, they proceeded straight ahead, into the private wing of the palace, reserved for the royal family.

As per custom, two of the Asliro, identified by their black, lightweight armor with the royal crescent etched into the thin metal, waited at the entrance of the hallway. These elite warriors were the best of the best, and were always at constant vigilance. Each was proficient in some type of magic and in weaponry and considered to be the most dangerous fighters in Revlis El'inmilnum. They bowed as the queen passed, immediately resuming their stances.

Serenity took the first door on the left, opening it to reveal a large study. The color scheme was a comforting deep crimson. Full story windows bathed the room with the late afternoon sunlight. Serenity glided past the overstuff armchairs and lounges to the large windows that overlooked the palace gardens. Artemis chose a seat on one of the lounges, stretching out his long legs, casting his eyes on the queen. Luna ran a finger distractedly over a few of the books organized on the shelves built into the wall, seeing, but not reading the words inscribed on their spine. They waited, knowing Serenity would speak in a moment when she was ready.

"My daughter and her friends, outside enjoying the pleasant day." Serenity remarked offhandedly with a smile, her palm against the windowpane as she looked down at the figures in the garden. "What kind of kingdom will she inherit at this rate?"

Serenity moved away from the window and chose a seat opposite of Artemis. Meanwhile, Luna left the books and bent over a nearby desk, her attention directed on something placed there.

"This is the fourth and largest town destroyed in half a lunar cycle. I'm surprised that boy lived." Serenity murmured.

"Survival instincts." Artemis responded.

"At least with this attack, we can see that there is a definite pattern." Luna said, turning around and holding a map of Revlis El'inmilnum in her hand. She walked forward and placed it on the table between Serenity and Artemis. "There. It's a steady line down the coast."

"Pirates, maybe?" Artemis queried, sitting forward and looking down at the map.

"Not from what the boy said." Luna replied, "Too well-organized and too well-equipped. Plus they had mages. There are very few pirate mages."

"And there was that one wind mage, he said, with awesome power." Artemis recalled.

"But how much can we trust those words? No doubt his perspective with the world crashing down around him was a little distorted. Perhaps this mage is only a little stronger than normal."

"The winds of our kingdom have been skewed lately. Unsettled. Whatever the matter, they are not right. There's an ill wind sweeping through Revlis El'inmilnum and it worries me." Serenity said, her voice distant.

"Uranus has long guarded the skies of the kingdom." Artemis gave a slight smile, "Maybe she's taking a break?"

"Artemis," Luna scolded, "be serious!"

"I am being serious!" Artemis responded indignantly.

"My mother mentioned something to me about Uranus once. And Neptune." Serenity interrupted, eyes closed in recollection, "Something…The history behind them has long been forgotten, yet there was something about them…Something important. Something that was lost to her and to her mother and now to me."

Luna and Artemis watched her curiously as she blinked out of her reverie.

"Ah, never mind me." Serenity quickly changed the subject. "Can we predict where there might be the next attack?"

"Here, perhaps..." Luna tapped the map with a finger, "It's just a small fishing village though. They might pass over it."

"Do we send out an army?" Artemis asked.

"The chances of our forces catching up from this distance…" Luna trailed off.

"It'll take days, even if we send out the swiftest regiment. Yet, I can't just abandon my people either." Serenity said.

"There is also the chance that this is some sort of diversionary force, waiting for you to weaken the capital's defenses." Artemis added, looking troubled.

"What is their purpose, these attackers?" Serenity murmured, eyes lingering on the map. "There is nothing there of major importance. Our most prosperous port city is to the north, and all of our raw minerals are inland. The crop land there isn't even the best we have to offer."

"There must be something! Something that we are overlooking." Luna said, agitation apparent as she paced over to the window Serenity previously stood at. She looked out the window, arms crossed.

"Unless they just want to destroy." Artemis replied in the silence that followed.

"We need to find out who 'they' is." Serenity answered, her voice calm.

"The boy said he didn't see any sort of insignia, nor any distinguishing figures up close." Artemis reminded.

"None of this makes sense. We have more than enough power to take on any threat nearby. We have the best generals and some of the strongest mages in this land." Luna said looking over from her position by the window. "There is no way-"

Serenity held up a hand, interrupting her. She smiled slightly, to put her advisor at ease. "That's enough Luna, I understand. Schedule a meeting with Areth's ambassador first thing tomorrow morning."

Artemis looked up sharply, "You don't think…"

"I don't know. I just want to talk to him, see if he seems to know anything."

"Areth would be fools to move against us. Sure they have expanded both north and west and their army is formidable, but their mage power…" Luna said.

"Is laughable." Artemis supplied.

"Yes, you don't have to remind me. But, Luna, go ahead and schedule the meeting. I shouldn't have to remind you of the one time I met with the king of Areth. He was a man of certain devious ambition. And Artemis, set up a meeting with my generals before lunch. We'll decide officially what to do there."

Serenity stood, while Artemis immediately reciprocated this action in a sign of respect. Luna walked over from the window, pausing at an armchair.

"I'll be in the library this evening. Can one of you have my dinner sent there?" Serenity asked.

"What are you searching for in the library?" Luna asked.

"I'll let you know if I find it." Serenity responded in a clear dismissal. She began to move to the door of the study.

"Of course, Serenity."

The queen turned back, hand on the door handle. She smiled, looking at her two advisors. "Tell my daughter where I am if she asks."

* * *

A girl in the loose grey robes reserved for the everyday-wear for the palace scholars sat underneath the large tree. Its canopy cast plenty of shade over her and the large book in her hands. Her head was bent over the book, and her blue hair, cut short as it was, did not impede her task. Ami was barely aware of turning the page with a pale hand. Her deep blue eyes were intent on the words and the meaning gathered there, quickly adding more knowledge to the vast amounts she already possessed.

She failed to notice the figure looming over her, focused as she was solely upon her intellectual pursuit. She did notice when the figure bent down over her shoulder and gently closed the book in front of her.

"Ami, it's the only day out of the lunar cycle in which none of us have had any training or tutoring, don't read."

Ami was very familiar with that voice and presence. She turned her head as the tall figure was straightening up, her eyes meeting the familiar face with chestnut hair and forest green eyes.

"Makoto, I like reading." Ami reminded with a small smile.

Makoto raised her arms and her hands caught a branch of the tree just above her head. Her shirt cropped up, revealing a sliver of toned stomach. She rested the weight of her lean frame against the branch, looking down at Ami expectantly.

"I hope you like me more." Makoto teased.

Ami blushed, eyes darting to the ground. Makoto smiled at the endearing gesture, and reached a hand out. Ami looked back up meeting the taller girl's eyes and accepted the help to her feet, leaving her book behind on the grassy floor.

Makoto let the tree branch go, but kept Ami's hand in her own, pulling her closer. She kissed the smaller girl, slightly disappointed but understanding when Ami pulled back.

"Not here Makoto." Ami said in a hushed whisper, never one for public displays of affection, but she kept a tight grip on Makoto's hand. "We're in the palace gardens! Anyone could be watching."

Makoto's eyes caught something in her peripheral vision and she smiled again. "Like our friends?"

Ami smiled and blushed. "Yes."

"Makoto!" The yell was sudden, breaking the peace of the gardens and sending a few birds angrily chirping into the sky. "We told you to get Ami! Not kiss her!"

Makoto rolled her eyes and Ami could only smile at the exasperated amusement she found on the other girl's face.

"It's okay. I do like you more." Ami said softly.

Makoto smiled and bent down to pickup the book with her free hand. Hands still clasped, and the book under Makoto's arm, they began the short walk across the grass to where their three other friends were gathered.

The palace gardens were extensive, especially for having its land framed inside a city as large as Talrysc Kotyo, and extended south from the main palace building. Its vast perimeter was fenced with thick stone walls that were patrolled only lightly. Flowers of all types were grown and carefully manicured in certain areas. Other parts were laid out just for the careful cultivation of trees, many of which had been there since the founding of the kingdom. And still more areas were composed of winding paths and ever green grassy lawns that were made for frequent traversing. Along with the numerous regular garden staff were earth mages, hired to help maintain the eternal green of trees and bloom of the flowers.

Presently, the small group was a little off the normal path, in a section that curved around the royal family's wing of the palace and was guarded by wild hedges. It was just enough off the normal path to generally give them some privacy without having to delve deeper into the gardens. And here, there were just enough trees to provide sufficient shade, just enough flowers to add a taste of naturalistic radiance, and plenty of soft green grass to run about on. In the middle of this there was a clear pond that was fed water from the numerous brooks that winded through the garden. Across the pond, they generally could see others moving about one of the main sections of the gardens, but it was was enough to give them a haven inside of the bustling palace.

Sitting at the edge of the pond, were three striking girls. One of the blondes, with long unbound hair, was animatedly telling a story. She was wearing a simple, yet finely tailored off-the-shoulder green dress that brought out the blue of her eyes. Another girl, this one with dark hair and eyes, listened intently, a slight smile playing at her face. She was dressed in a sand-colored tunic highlighted with red, belted at the waist, and leggings, also simple, but perfect for a relaxed day such as this one. Her eyes darted between her two companions, but rested longer on the final girl. This one also had blonde hair, but it was pulled back into two buns at the top of her head that truthfully, only her family could pull off. Even in her unassuming pale blue dress, she caught attention and trust. There was something about her as she listened to the story with a wide amused grin that was both innocent and mature.

Ami let go of Makoto's hand, choosing to take a seat, while the taller girl stood behind them, arms crossed. She looked imposing, but her tone was lighthearted. "Minako, the yelling was unnecessary."

The girl with long unbound blonde hair raised her arms in a stretch before falling backwards onto the grass, looking up at Makoto. "You were taking too long."

Makoto raised an eyebrow. "Last I heard you were ninth in line for the throne. I don't think people will be obeying your every whim anytime soon."

The dark-haired girl reached over and poked the other blonde in the arm. "But people will eventually be listening to everything buns-head rabbit has to say…the horror."

"Rei!" The girl nearly growled, batting at the offending hand and sticking her tongue out.

"Usagi!" Rei responded, retaliating with the same childish act.

The other three could only stare for a moment as the girl who was often the most mature and sullen of them fought with the girl who would eventually be Serenity XII. They tried not to dwell on these details for fear of the future even if these juvenile quarrels were common.

"Okay! That's enough! No fighting on our day off either!" Minako finally interrupted, getting between the two and pushing them apart. She stood up as the other two relaxed, hands on her hips, surveying her friends. "We need to do something to celebrate!"

At that, the rest either sighed or groaned. Makoto sank to the ground beside Ami who popped open her book. Usagi's hand rubbed the back at her neck, unwilling to shoot down her distant cousin, while Rei glowered.

"Last time we celebrated with your idea, we all had to scrub the floors for a week. And that was on top of the extra training and tutoring." Rei said, pulling Minako down beside her.

"But we did have fun, didn't we? Sneaking out on the festival day and enjoying the street party with the rest of Talrysc Kotyo! No one recognized us or even Usagi at all!" Minako said wistfully, getting caught up in the memory.

"Yeah, it was all fun until we got back." Makoto responded leaning back to lie on the grass.

"I still have never had my mother so angry at me." Usagi added. "And having the queen that angry at you is never a good thing."

"I don't know if I would really want to celebrate right now anyway." Ami said softly, eyes darting to the side.

"Hmm? Ami, what's wrong?" Makoto urged sitting up on her elbows, concern etched on her face.

Ami bit her lip, looking briefly at Makoto and then at the others before looking back down.

"Ami?" Makoto sat up fully, and reached out her hand, laying it on top of Ami's.

"It's the wind, isn't it Ami?" Usagi suddenly said. "It's tainted…"

Ami looked up, eyes wide. "I didn't know for sure, but all the other scholars have been talking about it, that something was not right in the kingdom. I've felt it too. Maybe just a resonance of some sort, but something is wrong."

"Foreboding…menacing…sinister…" Rei murmured. She held the palm of her hand open in front of her. Without any visible sign from her, a single flame appeared in her palm. The edges blue, the fire flitted and flickered, almost alive.

"Rei..." Minako said concernedly.

Rei's dark eyes were cast at Minako only momentarily before they rested on Usagi. She closed the palm of her hand, the flame extinguishing and spoke in low tones. "That's all I've gotten from the fire the past few days. It's only grown worse each lunar rise."

Silence fell in the group, and only the hum of palace life could be heard. Makoto's eyes went across the pond to a gardener, carefully examining a bed of indistinguishable flowers, but her attention returned to Ami as she felt the grip on her hand tighten.

"Let's forget about it for now and just relax and enjoy our day off." Ami said, setting her book aside with her free hand.

Minako brightened up visibly, immediately picking up the chance to change topics. "Finally, we're getting through to her! Ami has shut her book!"

The others laughed in response. It sounded unnatural to all of them.

The forced cheeriness deflated from Minako and this time the silence that followed was strained and awkward, a rare event for them.

"Hey, everyone, promise me something?" Usagi asked suddenly.

"Anything Usagi." Rei answered.

"That no matter what happens…we'll always be friends. But don't ever let me hold you back, and don't ever put your life down for mine." There was an infliction of passion to her voice and power behind her words despite her awkward fumbling speech. It struck her as ageless in that moment like a true Queen Serenity, instead of the seventeen year old princess that she was.

Before any of them could answer their princess, they could hear and feel that someone was quickly approaching their location. They all turned their heads and found a tall dark-haired young man striding rapidly across the green lawn. He was dressed in the off-duty uniform of the Asliro, a leather jerkin over a light shirt and thickly woven pants tucked into his boots. The hilt of the sword at his waist was tied with a white ribbon, an ancient custom to further signify he was off-duty and would not draw his sword in the palace.

Usagi leapt to her feet at the sight of him, the others gradually following suit with less enthusiasm. Rei was the last to stand, her expression impassive.

"Mamoru! What are you doing here?" Usagi exclaimed.

"Hello princess, my ladies." He stopped in front of them, bowing at the waist.

"Don't you have practice and drills right now Mamoru?" Minako asked curiously.

"Oh, I finished early Lady Minako."

"Impressive as always Mamoru." Rei said somewhat coolly.

"Thank you." He nodded, long use to the way she regarded him.

Makoto gave an easy grin, "We need to spar again Mamoru. It's been awhile since last time."

"I don't know if I'll be able to beat any of you any more. Word has gotten around recently that each of you has surpassed the greatest of mages in your respective magics."

"Eh?!" Usagi gaped, turning dramatically to look at each of them. "Rei! Is this true? Ami? Makoto? Minako? I know you're talented, but I didn't know you were that good! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Usagi, it doesn't matter, does it? We're your friends, but we're also your protectors." Ami said kindly, ever voice of reason.

"Of course. I never meant-"

Rei smiled warmly as she interrupted Usagi, an expression that Mamoru rarely saw from her. "Always over-reacting, our princess."

Usagi blushed, smiling bashfully and bowing her head.

"Did you have a reason for coming out here Mamoru?" Rei asked, immediately impassive and cool again.

"Ah, yes." Mamoru's face hardened. "There's been another attack. A messenger came just a while ago."

That drew all their attention and Usagi immediately sobered. "Is…Was it bad?"

"Yes." Mamoru responded gravely. "The messenger was perhaps the only survivor."

"Why? Who are they and what are they after?" Makoto seethed. A cackle of electricity sparked over her hands, which were clenched at her side.

"Are they still heading down the coast?" Minako asked. Her demeanor was completely serious and all traces of previous joviality, forced or otherwise, were gone.

"Yes." Mamoru responded, "Whatever this is, whoever is causing it-"

Usagi turned, blocking out the rest of the conversation. She looked up to the window that she knew was her mother's study. The wind caught her as it blew across the garden and she shivered. "What are you going to do mother? I don't know what I would do…"

She started as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She whirled, taking a step back.

"Easy princess." Mamoru said softly, kindly. "We're all heading back into the palace."

She looked past him to see her friends waiting. Minako, her distant cousin, so alike her with long blonde hair and blue eyes, yet her normal cheerfulness and flightiness abated and her face showcasing a determination and composure that Usagi felt she still lacked. Ami, standing close to Makoto, had her book clutched to her chest, blue eyes peering at her with worry, but there was no sign of her usual shyness. Makoto, brown tendrils of hair brushing her face in the wind, always strong and independent, displayed no less, despite the concern hiding in her eyes. And Rei. Caring, teasing Rei. The Rei that annoyed her and comforted her. Her dark eyes slid past Mamoru and rested on her, questioning, fretting, and…something…

"Yes…" Usagi answered slowly. "The wind has turned cold and gray…"

**Fin Chapter**

A/N: Anagram time! …I think we only have one this chapter and I believe it's fairly easy.

-Asliro

As for last chapter's, the unscrambled words are: Rushing Wind, Moon, Crystal Tokyo

So we're now at the end of the second chapter of the story…and almost all the characters have been introduced. I can only hope I've caught your interest.

To preview for next chapter: A reunion, some happiness, and some history.

As always, all reviews are appreciated!


	4. Fusion

A/N: This one's long, very long. We're getting deeper and deeper into the plot here…

As always thanks to Soleil-Lune for beta-ing.

More author's notes at the bottom. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Revlis El'inmilnum**

_Chapter Three: Fusion_

"_That one."_

"_Somehow I knew you would pick that one." Michiru responded, but Haruka was already walking towards the horse even as a few stable-hands chased after the untamed stallion. _

_Instead of being put-off, Michiru only smiled and decided to watch. She knew Haruka would choose that horse. It was in her nature to do so. Haruka was fast and strong, and she would want a horse that would be the same._

_The horse neighed, rearing up on its hind legs, its dark eyes wild and free. He was a beautiful beast with a glossy deep brown coat, his build powerful and big. Michiru thought she felt the aftershock of its hooves hitting the ground even from her distance. The horse began to gallop again, and this time, Haruka headed in another direction to cut him off._

_With long loping strides, Haruka drew alongside the horse. Before the stallion could veer away, she leapt, hanging onto its saddle. Without much more difficulty, Haruka swung her body over so that she was properly in the saddle. However, this was only half the battle…_

_The horse seemingly picked up speed, apparently livid that someone actually managed to mount him. He thrashed, twisting and turning, and Haruka's knuckles grew white from the pressure of holding on. Finally, sick of the extra weight, the horse reared up again, giving a loud neigh and Haruka found herself unable to hold on any longer. She toppled over backwards, but luckily managed to land with only a bruised ego. _

_Stunned, she remained on the ground, catching her breath, trying to recover, and halfway hoping Michiru would rush over to make sure she was okay. A few minutes passed, and finally she heard footsteps as well as hoof beats. Sitting up, she was surprised to find Michiru walking forward leading the stallion serenely by the reins._

"_Sometimes a milder hand is needed. This one will be mine." Michiru said, patting the horse on the neck. She looked down at Haruka and smiled gently. "Are you okay?"_

"_Fine except for my pride." Haruka accepted the hand to help her to her feet. "Dare I even ask how you managed to tame that wild beast so quickly?"_

_Michiru looked at the horse, her expression growing distant. "There's an old legend that says that horses came from the sea."_

_Haruka regarded her with a mixture of confusion and tenderness. "Enigmatic as usual, Michiru."_

_By now, the stable master approached. He was a balding, middle-aged man; his skin weathered and creased from years in the sun. Haruka liked him well enough. He knew what he was doing and even though he seemed stern, he was kind-hearted and fiercely loyal to Serenity. He was on his own horse, a black mare, not bothering to hide his surprise at the suddenly tamed stallion. "You tamed him…"_

"_I'll be taking this one. Does he have a name?" Michiru asked passively._

"_Ah, not yet Lady Kaioh. We're the only ones who've ever owned him and we don't name our horses until they're tamed." As Michiru's expression turned contemplative and the stable master turned toward Haruka. "Are you okay Lady Tenoh? That was a rough spill. He is…was…a wild beast."_

_Haruka brushed off his concern. "Of course. I've taken worse beatings."_

"_Zephyr." Michiru suddenly spoke._

_At Haruka's questioning look, she clarified. "That's his name. Zephyr, because he's like the wind."_

"_A fine choice in name Lady Kaioh, a strong name to fit his character." The stable master nodded approvingly, not missing the half-lidded meaningful look Michiru sent to Haruka._

_Haruka smiled. A strange and familiar warmth filled her as she watched Michiru. Her sea-blue eyes were bright and compassioned as she rubbed at Zephyr's neck and her lips parted slightly as she murmured soothing words to the horse. Somehow, Michiru always managed to outshine everyone, even when clad in riding clothes. Indeed, the dust seemed to shy away from her in the sunlight. Zephyr's large dark eyes fell on Haruka, and the stallion seemed to almost be smirking, preening under the attention. She had a sudden strong urge to kick the horse. _

_Haruka inwardly groaned; did she just feel jealous over a damn horse?_

_The stable master cleared his throat, and she quickly turned his attention back to him. She caught his raised eyebrow and scowled back at him. He only smiled slightly._

"_Is there another one you want to try Lady Tenoh?"_

_Michiru looked up at the stable master's words. After a quick glance around the fenced-in pasture, she settled on a brown mare with a distinguishing white mane and tail standing on the crest of a small hill. She held a calm, regal bearing and seemed to be watching all that was happening within the pasture. Michiru could tell, even from the distance, that it was a powerful, noble creature._

"_That one over there." Michiru pointed._

_The stable master and Haruka immediately stopped their conversation on the merits of another horse that stood not too far away from them to look towards the mare that Michiru suggested._

"_You have a good eye, Lady Kaioh. I feared the day I would have to part with that one. She's a fine horse. Calm, for the most part, but she can be fierce too. We've had her since she was a foal and she's only got a few years on her." The stable master said._

"_That one?" Haruka said contemplatively._

"_That one." Michiru affirmed._

_A few hours later, they were both heading back into Talrysc Kotyo on Zephyr and the regal brown mare known as Suijin. Their borrowed horses, which they arrived upon, stayed behind to make room in the palace stables. _

_The horses were meant to be a gift from Serenity, a gift she had not really explained except with a smile. Haruka needed a new horse though, as the stallion she arrived on six lunar cycles ago was old and could no longer gallop with ease. It had pushed him to make the journey to Talrysc Kotyo even then. She was sad to part with him. He had been her father's before hers. However, he deserved his rest and full green pastures more than any other horse she knew. As for Michiru, she had never had a horse to call her own, but merely borrowed one from the palace stables whenever she was in need. _

_The ride back was pleasant even though the air was cool as the afternoon sun was warm upon their backs, and they were in each other's company. Haruka and Michiru were long use to each other's presence and had immediately fallen into an easy and intimate friendship since their first meeting. Haruka stood out from the rest of the court. Her stubbornness rivaled the best, but she also held a strong will, surprising charisma, and amazing powers as a wind mage, parallel to that of Michiru as a water mage. Nevertheless, the queen asked her to remain in Talrysc Kotyo instead of returning to her home not too long after arriving. With some consideration to this proposal, Haruka had agreed and set a trusted cousin to act in her place at her family's city-state, now province in the kingdom of Revlis El'inmilnum, of Ten'ousei._

_Since Serenity had acquired the Tenoh holdings, with its rather small city and large amounts of fertile land, the kingdom had expanded to include a few more city-states. Now only the southern end of the peninsula resisted under a brutish regime of city-states that refused to surrender peacefully. With winter fast approaching, the queen had opted to wait until the weather warmed again before finally making the entire peninsula hers. In nearly six years, Serenity from the line of Onom had done what others would deem impossible in uniting the numerous city-states of the peninsula. _

_However Michiru, and now Haruka, were the only ones to see the pain the bloodshed and violence caused the queen. It was in those moments, when Serenity's eyes were clouded and she avoided their stares that Michiru would remember with a jolt, her father and the simple life of a court musician that had been left long ago. When one was a friend, confidant, and advisor with a woman like Serenity, nothing was ever simple. _

_Curiously enough with Haruka's arrival, acceptance, and inclusion into her daily life, Michiru could not recall a time when she had been more content. It was something in the way Haruka smiled at her or touched her on the arm. It was something in Haruka's eyes. It was something in the way that she felt irrepressible warmth at Haruka's presence._

_Their journey back was filled with much laughter and smiles, but as they approached the city gates, their thoughts turned to Serenity. The queen was supposed to go with them today to choose their horses, but she had been called away at the last moment at some urgent news. She did promise to meet them upon their return, sending both of them on to choose their new mounts. The royal stables were previously part of the land the Onom family held for their prized steeds and were not far out of the city. The land had been expanded since the formation of Revlis El'inmilnum to provide ample room for the prized horses of the kingdom and thus make it quite a distance away for a queen who was needed immediately. _

_Arriving back to Talrysc Kotyo, they rode through the East Gate, waving at the guardsmen on watch. They made it quickly through the streets in good spirits, smiling benignly at those who recognized them. Then they passed through the old walls of the Onom family keep to enter the palace that was currently still under construction. They dismounted at the palace stables, located just inside the walls. Each held onto the reigns for themselves dismissing the help the eager stable staff presented, knowing the queen would more than likely appear momentarily._

_True to her word, Serenity arrived almost as soon as they dismounted still dressed in riding clothes. A flurry of motion announced her presence as everyone present in the stables immediately bowed. The pair followed suit, lowering their heads respectfully. When they lifted their eyes to meet the queen's, neither missed the flash of concern that crossed Serenity's face before it was replaced by a warm smile. _

"_These two? They're beautiful creatures. What are their names?"_

_Zephyr tossed his head, growing impatient and restless under the gaze of so many. Michiru patted his neck, and murmured soothing words. The stallion snorted once as if in a huff, but nevertheless settled down. "This one here is Zephyr." Michiru responded affectionately._

_Serenity came closer, reaching out a hand to pet the stallion's nose. His wild dark eyes, watched her, subsiding into calm at her touch. Serenity shot Haruka a glance. "Just like the wind, I see."_

_Michiru's smiled widened, and her own attention shifting over to Haruka who now had her arms crossed. "You should have seen him when he threw off Haruka."_

_Serenity laughed good-naturedly, and Haruka, though pretending to be callous, could not help but crack a smile. "And yours, Haruka?"_

"_Suijin. I say she's just like Michiru really."_

_Serenity left Zephyr to give attention to the mare, her smile slipping after a moment. "I'm sorry I could not have been there today."_

_The queen surveyed the stables, noting the many people, most of which did not try to hide their interest in the conversation. She gestured with her head back towards the palace before speaking. "Walk with me."_

_Serenity led them down a little used, roundabout path that headed into one of the back entrances of the main palace building. Here, there were very few people except for the occasional servant hurrying by. Serenity stopped, peering up at the palace walls that loomed directly next to them. She hesitated before speaking._

"_I want you two to leave the palace for awhile."_

"_What? Why!?" Haruka instantly demanded, unconsciously taking a step forward. Michiru, on the other hand, merely looked to Serenity, waiting for an explanation and laid a calming hand on Haruka's shoulder._

"_I received some intelligence today. The southerners have hired the dark mage assassins of the north. We believe their target to be you two." Serenity still refused to meet their gaze._

"_That's ridiculous! Us? We're not that important! Those barbarian assassins cost an arm and a leg." Haruka exclaimed._

"_On the contrary," Serenity responded calmly. She turned a benevolent stare toward the two. "Word of your powers over the wind and water has spread throughout the kingdom and even to those in the north. The southerners see you as a threat, the loyal all-powerful mages who do my bidding."_

"_And what about you?" Michiru asked softly. "You're the one who is much closer to being all-powerful and you are the queen."_

"_But my power is different than yours. Very few know of magic and none understand it. Most people are not aware that I even hold a sliver of such power."_

"_All it takes is one person to slip up and all the wrong people would know." Michiru replied levelly._

"_None that are aware are in the position of 'slipping up.'" Serenity replied. "That's why I am not the target. They are afraid of what two mages can do against their regime, and rightly so. Besides they know I'll be protected at all times, unlike you two."_

_Haruka and Michiru exchanged glances, before Haruka sighed. "How long do you want us to stay in hiding?"_

"_I'll have you back before we move out in the spring. Can you think of a good safe house for the winter? A place that few would suspect you of being."_

"_You know my only home has ever been here." Michiru replied and then turned toward the wind mage. "Haruka?"_

"_Hmm…perhaps…" Haruka's face grew distant as she thought. "I have a manor on the edge of Ten'ousei. It's the location of my family's private vineyard. Very few know of it, and because of the winter none would expect me to be there. The only other people there would just be a few grounds-men and their families as well as the manor staff."_

"_That sounds like the perfect place then." Serenity nodded. "Set out tomorrow."_

"_So soon?" Haruka blinked._

"_Yes. I will take no risks with you two."_

"_And you, Serenity? At least double your guard, don't take any chances. We are expendable, but you're the queen." Michiru replied. "What we've fought so hard for would be for aught if you were killed."_

"_Assassins continue to carve our history Michiru, but I will be fine." Serenity replied._

_They ceased talking for a moment as a noble scurried by, obviously harassed over some issue as he did not even glance toward them. Once he was back down the path, they continued their leisurely pace._

"_Will the manor house be okay then Michiru?" Haruka asked, shooting her a glance._

"_Yes, I still don't like this idea, but your manor will be perfectly fine." Michiru answered, a hint of a frown on her face._

"_That's decided then." Serenity interjected, settling the issue once and for all._

"_If you need to get in touch with us, contact my cousin acting as lord in Ten'ousei. He knows of the manor and he won't give you any trouble. I'll also mark the location of it on a map." Haruka added stiffly._

_She stopped walking, arms crossed, showing her displeasure. Michiru stopped beside her, assessing Serenity. Nothing of her body language announced her disapproval, but her stoic expression said enough._

_Serenity turned, having just gotten a few paces ahead of them. "I'm doing this to protect you. I value you two more than any others. You've been friends when I've had none. I will be fine in your absence, just think of this as a holiday."_

"_We'll return in four lunar cycles." Michiru said shortly. _

_A moment of awkward silence passed as the Serenity watched the pair who avoided her gaze. She wanted to say more but thought better of it. She, after all, knew the temperament of the two. They were very stubborn when they had their minds set on something. Knowing this, she waited for them to address her. _

_It was Michiru who decided to end it as her face softened and she leaned against Haruka, who blinked in surprise at her action. "I'm sorry Serenity, for being so cold with you. With our history of assassins, I know you're only trying to help. I just worry over what may happen in our absence. And I'll miss you."_

_Haruka swallowed, before hesitatingly putting her arm comfortingly around Michiru. "I…Likewise, my queen. Let's part ways here. We'll leave early tomorrow morning, when the guard changes. I'll mark the manor on the map in my room. Make sure you hide it once we're gone."_

_Serenity nodded, her stare now warm and compassioned. "Take care of each other and be safe."_

"_You too." Michiru responded._

_Serenity left them there, hurrying off to another meeting. Michiru stole a glance up at Haruka, who was gazing off after the retreating queen. Seeing Haruka's distant expression, she stepped out from under her arm._

_Haruka reacted immediately, missing the familiar presence and touch. Her eyes turned toward her companion. She felt the need to say something, seeing Michiru standing there looking so troubled._

"_Michiru…" Haruka trailed off, finding herself lacking in the words she wanted to say._

"_Haruka, I'm going to pack and prepare to leave for tomorrow." Michiru answered to the silence. "I'll meet you at the stables an hour before lunarset."_

_Haruka nodded after her, now watching Michiru's retreating form with a sad affection. A moment later, she set off to begin gathering her own belongings._

_The rest of the day and night passed quickly for the both of them. They had little time for preparation and rest before setting out. Haruka was first to arrive to the stables, clad in nondescript clothing and a thick traveling cloak. She was also carrying a fairly large pack and an ornate sword sheathed across her back. _

_There was little activity in the palace stables. The majority of the horses were asleep as well as a couple of the stable hands on some hay in one corner. Taking Suijin, she quickly saddled the mare, tying her pack onto the back of the saddle. She eyed Zephyr. The big stallion was awake and watching her with dark eyes, almost daring her to come closer. Haruka hesitated. The last thing she wanted was a big ruckus and she was afraid that if she even came close to him, Zephyr would cause a fuss._

_She stood across from the stallion, staring him down, arms crossed. Her whisper was fierce, "Listen you. I won't take this kind of behavior. I am the best wind mage around. Michiru named you after me! At least…I think she did…"_

_Zephyr's ears flicked toward her and he bent down to chew a piece of hay. Haruka could hear Suijin snorting behind her, almost in laughter. Before Haruka could act in any way, another whisper penetrated the stables._

"_Haruka, what are you doing?"_

_Michiru glided into her field of vision. She was also in nondescript clothing and a cloak with a large pact. Haruka also recognized the case where Michiru kept her father's violin, strapped on top of the pack. What stood out was a staff with a slim bladed end, an ancient weapon called a naginata. The curved blade was wrapped in thick cloth to prevent any accidental cutting and the shaft was a simple metal finish with worn leather grips._

"_Nothing, nothing!" Haruka said, uncrossing her arms and quickly walking to Suijin. She eyed Michiru, a smile coming unbidden to her lips. "You're late and you stole that from the armory."_

_Michiru began to quickly saddle Zephyr who behaved perfectly well for his mistress while speaking reasonably. "I decided to go by the kitchens and get us something to eat for the journey. And I didn't steal the naginata. I'm only borrowing it. I'm the only one who ever uses it anyway." _

_Haruka smiled, watching Michiru, ignoring how she could suddenly feel her heart beat strongly in her chest. "I would offer to help, but that beast doesn't like me."_

_Michiru shot Haruka a warm look over her shoulder, "Zephyr's a big softie on the inside. Kind of like you."_

_Haruka ignored the last bit, "Softie? Hmph."_

_At that point, one of the stable hands in the corner mumbled something restlessly and turned over in his sleep. Haruka and Michiru shared a look, realizing that they could wait to talk once they were on their way. Michiru was nearly finished, so Haruka went ahead and mounted Suijin. _

_Michiru was quick to follow and they were out the stable doors. They raised the hoods of their cloaks, to hide their features, especially Michiru's distinguishing hair. Everyone would know they were gone in a matter of hours, but they wanted to get out of Talrysc Kotyo without mishap and it was best to go incognito. The guards at the palace gates gave a sleepy wave, not bothering to inspect those who were only leaving the palace._

_The streets of the city were only now beginning to stir as the sky began to fully lighten. Haruka led them down a main thoroughfare that would take them out of the northwest gate. There were only a few people out, running errands in the half-light of the early morning. A couple of drunkards were stumbling around, singing raucously, arms about each other as they headed off down one street, obviously toward home. As they neared the city gates, Haruka resisted a smirk at a man, snoring loudly and drunkenly asleep half in the middle of the road. He didn't even twitch as they rode past._

_The guards at the city gates were just as easy to get by. And soon, with the sun to their right, they followed the road by the river north, well on their way._

_Michiru was first to break their companionable silence, "I never even asked; how long is the journey to your manor?"_

"_For just us two? Seven days at a normal traveling speed. We could do it in six if necessary._

"_Hmmm…I don't think I realized just how close the Tenoh state was."_

"_It would be another day if you wanted to reach the city though. Ten'ousei never did boast a large city, especially in the era of city-states. There are plenty of villages under its jurisdiction though with acres of farm land." Haruka replied._

_Michiru responded lightheartedly, a smile upon her face. "Do you take me for some sort of urchin? I was educated in the palace."_

"_Ah, my apologies then my lady." Haruka grinned. "A backcountry lord like myself knows nothing of city life."_

_Michiru's eyes shined with amusement, "What did I do to deserve such company?"_

_Haruka laughed, "I couldn't tell you, but it must have been something good."_

_Michiru groaned good-naturedly. She eyed her companion slyly and with a flick of her wrist, sent a small stream of water to cool off Haruka's ego. She grinned as the blonde cursed at the sudden and intense wet cold._

"_Thanks." Haruka said dryly._

"_No problem." Michiru smiled._

_The rest of the day passed easily and they spent the night at an inn in a small crossroads village. They set out early the next morning, more than just a little saddle sore. By the final day of their journey, their good mood had prevailed throughout and they were more than use to spending all day in a saddle. The journey had been without mishap, except for one brief scrape with bandits that were sent running with just a brush of their powers. There was also an uncomfortable encounter in a city inn with some Revlis El'inmilnum soldiers in which it proved more than difficult to hide their identity from. _

_As they crossed a small river far off from a major road, Haruka looked toward Michiru gesturing with her hands. "Welcome to Ten'ousei, the old city-state of the Tenoh family now province in Revlis El'inmilnum under Queen Serenity."_

_Michiru passed Haruka and raised an eyebrow. "A little too much pomp and circumstance Haruka."_

"_You never let me have any fun." Haruka pouted._

"_I always let you have plenty of fun." Michiru responded. She tossed her hair over her shoulder, giving her companion a pointed look._

"_Those are not befitting words of a proper lady." Haruka said in a low tone._

_For a moment, they stared at each other, lost in a deep gaze of blue and green. Then both Zephyr and Suijin made it through the trees to the crest of the rise and the sun shone brightly upon them both. They tore their gaze away from each other, looking down into the land below them._

"_Oh Haruka…" Michiru whispered, "It's beautiful."_

_Though nothing was blooming, the sweeping design of the land, the rows of grape vines, and the tall trees all ushered in a natural radiance. The winter months and the cool air gave it a crisp beauty. And the manor, with smoke rising from several of its chimneys overlooked all of it with an elegant architecture._

"_My grandfather built this for my grandmother. This was always my favorite place to go during my youth." Haruka whispered a bit whimsically as she too surveyed the land._

_Silence settled around them as they both looked at the scenery, one in remembrance of childhood and the other in contemplation of her companion._

_Finally, sensing it was time to descend, Michiru turned toward Haruka, breaking the spell of thoughts and memories, "'During my youth'…you make yourself sound like a wrinkled old woman."_

_Haruka blinked and recovered. She gave Michiru a look of mock severity. "If you ridicule me one more time I'll just have you sleep outside."_

"_You might find yourself a little wet during the night then." Michiru threatened teasingly._

"_You wouldn't dare."_

"_Even a lady has to know how to defend herself."_

_Haruka laughed, "Michiru, you know how to defend yourself better than nearly all the soldiers in the kingdom."_

_Michiru smiled back and giggled, "Very true."_

_Haruka tilted her head toward the manor, "Come on, let's go on inside."_

_The manor servants were quite surprised to find their master and a companion upon the doorstep. They asked no questions and only assured that they were there to serve once Haruka explained they would be there for the winter. The butler, an elderly man whom Haruka had known since childhood, directed the rest of the staff in taking care of the horses and their belongings. There was a brief stumbling of awkwardness as he asked if he needed to prepare a guestroom for Michiru. Both of their cheeks colored while a hint of a smile appeared on the butler's face._

"_I see. A guestroom for Lady Kaioh then. The one right next to the master bedroom I assume is fine Lady Tenoh?"_

"_Ah…yes…I mean…Michiru?" Haruka struggled with her answer._

"_Whatever is easiest is fine with me." Michiru responded calmly despite the light blush painting her cheeks._

"_That one then." Haruka affirmed._

_They did not see each other the rest of the day. Haruka spent her time organizing and planning with the staff for the winter, while Michiru was shown around by the butler's wife whom she took an immediate liking to. Before long, it was dinnertime, and Haruka gathered all of the servants together for the meal._

_The conversation around the table was loud and lighthearted. Haruka was pleased to see that all of the staff seemed to like Michiru and were willing to get to know her. Having finished her meal, she sipped languidly on a glass of wine, content to watch the beautiful musician interact with the servants. _

_As a light argument broke out among the servants, Michiru laughed at one's humorous retort, and she caught Haruka's gaze in her peripheral vision. She turned and they shared a smile that seemed to speak of so much more. In that moment, Michiru reached out and grabbed Haruka's hand, warmth flooding through both of them that was much more than just wine. The moment left as one of the servants engaged Michiru back into conversation._

_As the evening wore on, Haruka yawned and excused herself in order to retire for the evening. She walked through the familiar hallways, carrying a set of candles for light. She entered the master bedroom, surprised to find the candles and fire already lit inside and smiled at her servants' thoughtfulness. The manor was the best in the summer, when all the windows were opened to let in cool breeze, but it was more than comfortable during the winter too with the number of fireplaces it boasted. Setting down her own candles, she walked over to one of the large windows and drew back the curtains. She gazed up at the moon, noting its familiar and comforting crescent._

_She was glad to be here. She was glad to serve Serenity, even if that meant leaving her for a while, more than happy, especially with Michiru. Everything came back to Michiru. Ever since she met her, it always had and Haruka realized, perhaps not so suddenly, that it always would. That's why she craved Michiru's attention, her gaze, her touch, her very presence._

_There was a knock at the door, breaking Haruka's thoughts. She realized she was standing half inside the curtain fold, lost in her reflection. She stepped out, toward the center of the room and ran a hand through her hair, suddenly anxious as she realized the conclusion of her thoughts. Gathering herself together, she called out to the person knocking, "Come in!"_

_One of the double doors cracked open, revealing the very woman of her thoughts._

"_M-Michiru…"_

_Michiru entered, closing the door gently behind her. She walked into the bedroom, her footfalls quieted by the thick carpet. "Your servants here are wonderful people."_

"_Yes. They'll take good care of us this winter."_

_Michiru went toward the same window that Haruka had just vacated. She pushed back the curtains, and gazed out of the large window._

_Haruka could see where her thoughts were going. "You're worried about Serenity."_

"_I don't think she's taking the threat against herself seriously enough. What are we, when it comes down to it? Serenity is the queen. Powerful, shrewd, wise…she's everything one could want in their sovereign. If there are assassins, they would go after her." Michiru's words held a cool logic that bit at Haruka's temper._

"_She knows what she's doing Michiru!" Haruka exclaimed, "We know her to be all the things you say, plus blessed with a magic that none but her understand. The power of the gods!" _

"_This power of the gods did not stop her parents' death, or my father's death." Michiru replied rigidly._

_Haruka winced, her temper utterly vanishing. After a moment, she moved toward Michiru, stepping close behind her to look out the window with her. She spoke softly._

"_You'll just have to trust her."_

_The words hung heavy in the air, interrupted only by the crackling fire. Haruka stepped back, giving Michiru some space once seeing that her companion remained tense. Once she did so, however, she heard the smallest of sighs escape Michiru's lips. The water mage's body relaxed and she turned to face Haruka._

"_You're right, of course." Michiru whispered. "I should know to trust her judgment by now. I'm sorry for being such a bother."_

_Haruka felt words build in her throat in response as she was caught in the vision before her. A vision of firelight, dancing across ivory white skin… Of sea-blue eyes, dark in troubled thoughts. Of alluring features, looking for reassurance and something more…The words left Haruka's throat, emotion and passion flowing out with them to make them much more than just words. "I'm glad I'm here with you."_

_Both felt and knew the multiple meanings hidden there: I don't want to be apart from you…You mean more to me than anything else I know… I'm the happiest when I'm with you…_

_I love you._

"_Haruka…" Michiru's voice was steady in the silence of the bedroom with more than a hint of wonder to it. "I think I love you."_

_They met in a rush a passion built up from the first intense stare they shared that night six lunar cycles ago. They tangled themselves together, the kiss only growing more fervent and impassioned. Haruka led them toward the bed, leaving a trail of clothes behind. As they fell against the large bed, it was only skin against skin. Hands and mouths finding places that had been hidden from each other until now. The moon continued its journey across the sky, unknown to the two who were just discovering the beginnings of what it meant to be truly loved._

* * *

"Rei's going to be so mad!"

Usagi, princess and future Queen Serenity XII of Revlis El'inmilnum, was late. It was unfortunately a bad habit of hers, and one that both her friends and her mother tried to rectify. Her mother told her that even though the kingdom would have to answer to her, she had to prove herself worthy of such fidelity and being tardy did not inspire confidence in a leader. Her friends, who had long overlooked her status as heir to the throne at her own urging, either got mildly annoyed or accepted the habit with some exasperation.

Unless if it was Rei. The fire mage always turned into a spitfire when she was late.

She grinned even as she dashed through the hallways. The thought of her friends always made her smile. They were an odd group to be certain, and it was her mother three years ago that appointed them as her protectors and guardians. She had been annoyed at first, claiming she did not need such a thing. She had plenty of her own friends, but her mother had insisted.

Later Usagi had learned through a bit of eavesdropping that some ancient mage had seen something and insisted upon such an act. She had no idea who this mage was or why her mother chose to follow their advice, but now, she was not bitter about it at all. They were her closest friends and confidants. Even though each of them was so different and if not for their extraordinary talents, they may have never been brought together.

Minako was a distant cousin through her mother's side who she had known, but never associated with that much. Her parents were known for throwing their lavish parties and even though Minako never mentioned it, they knew she was often forgotten about. Minako hardly went to her parent's manor just outside the palace walls anymore or to their lavish apartments inside the city. Through some quirk in the bloodline, she had inherited the light magic that was typically only prevalent among the direct heirs of the line of Serenity. Usagi had yet to knowingly access her own light magic, but she had seen the ease and skill in which Minako worked hers.

Ami, though not of noble birth, was descended from a line of rich professionals, mostly lawyers and healers. She had been brought to the palace at an early age to study under the best and brightest scholars in Revlis El'inmilnum. Usagi had seen her about when they were both children, but she was always involved in some kind of work or study. Ami was easily a genius. She was the youngest ever to be accepted into the ranks of palace scholars and she often tutored those much older than her. On top of that, she had mastered water magic, specializing in ice, which only added to her reputation as an intellect.

Makoto came from a long line of distinguished generals and her family boasted the most number of Asliro from across many generations. Makoto had been originally in training to be an Asliro, but had been pulled out when the queen requested her to specifically act as a guardian for Usagi. The long family line ended with her, however. Both of her parents had died when she was young. Makoto was another that Usagi had seen when they were children, but never associated with because she was always so busy. Usagi knew though, that even then, Makoto had been a gifted lightning mage, which was nothing compared to what she was now.

And then there was Rei… She was the youngest daughter of the Lord Hino that ruled the distant island territory of Hawkai under the queen's jurisdiction. Her family descended from the old royal family of Hawkai, but the island had long been under control of Revlis El'inmilnum. It was tradition to send the youngest daughter of the Hino family to Talrysc Kotyo to be a ward of the queen. It was an ancient custom that was used to ensure cooperation when Hawkai was originally brought into the kingdom. Rei was a fire mage, which that in of itself is not extraordinary, especially from an island known for its fire mages. However Rei was an adept far beyond that of any of the known fire mages.

And Rei was going to be so angry with her now for being late. Again.

It wasn't really her fault, there was just always something going on in the palace that distracted her; whether if that was listening in on some gossip, talking with the servants, or sneaking some food out of the kitchen; it never failed to divert her attention. Today it happened to be an Asliro and childhood friend of Mamoru's, Motoki. She had left her bedchamber plenty of early to meet Rei for an eagerly anticipated archery lesson, but Motoki had strode by her in one of the main hallways in his off-duty garb looking pensive.

As it had turned out, he had been worried chiefly about the recent problems in Revlis El'inmilnum, but he also expressed some concern about Mamoru. Apparently the prodigy Asliro had been acting strange lately and seemed distracted nearly all the time.

They had talked for a few more minutes, and then Usagi had abruptly remembered Rei's promised archery lesson.

Now she dashed through the hallways and corridors in a simple working tunic and pants, long twin-tails of hair streaming behind her. She yelled apologies as she nearly ran into a pair of passing nobles, properly scandalizing them, and wished that the barracks and training grounds were not on the other side of the palace. She turned a corner, bursting into a colonnaded breezeway that opened up to the smallest of Asliro training grounds, only to find her foot caught on the edge of a thick carpet runner.

Her heart was in her throat for a fleeting moment, as her arms flailed rapidly, trying to regain her balance. It was not to be. With an undignified squawk, she found herself in a heap on the floor. "Oww…" Usagi groaned, pushing herself up into sitting position.

She looked down the breezeway and sighed in relief when she realized that it was vacant. She started to climb to her feet, and by chance she caught a glimpse of something in her peripheral vision. She froze; her head turning to look in what she belatedly remembered was Asliro training grounds. She feared the worst; dozens of the Asliro would be there at that very moment witnessing her spill. She nearly collapsed again in an odd mixture of relief and even more acute embarrassment when she saw that Mamoru was standing there staring at her, practice sword in hand.

When he realized she was staring back at him, he started and rushed over to her. Dropping the practice sword to the ground, he pulled her to her feet. "Princess, are you okay? You're not hurt are you?"

His voice, low and soothing was edged in concern. When she looked up to his face, she caught beautiful blue eyes that shined with something reminiscent of devotion and adoration. There was a faint sheen of sweat on his brow even though it was a relatively cool day, but that was to be expected considering he was training. Usagi only then realized she had been brought to an upright position, supported by his strong, warm arms for a good moment. She blushed heavily and backed away, laughing almost manically.

"I'm fine! Really. It happens all the time! I mean, not all the time, but enough. My friends never leave me alone about being so clumsy." Usagi said, waving her hands out in front of her as if to ward him off.

Mamoru blinked and then smiled. "I guess now that you mention it, I've seen you fall a few times before, or at least trip over something."

Usagi's face quickly changed. A bit of a dejected frown pulled at her lips and her blue eyes were wide and emotional. "Yeah…it's not something that's good for a princess…I seem to do a lot of things that princesses are expected not to do."

She started to turn away, but Mamoru was quick to respond, "No! No, I didn't mean it like that. I was just making an observation. I…I think you make a great princess and I think you'll be a great queen someday."

She did not visibly brighten at his words, but the frown disappeared. "I can only hope so. My friends, especially…Rei! Oh no, not good! Rei's going to kill me! I'm sorry Mamoru! I have to go, I promised!"

"O-Of course." He said slightly taken aback. He recovered though, as Usagi turned to leave, giving her a bow.

Usagi paused, giving him a last look, only to stop completely. He looked so…troubled. Motoki's words about Mamoru echoed in her mind. As he stood there in the sunlight, donned in the lightweight practice uniform of the Asliro, she could not help but sense that something was wrong with him. She shot a glance down the breezeway, where she knew at the archery field, Rei was waiting for her, most likely growing increasingly impatient. She closed her eyes tightly for a moment and made a decision.

"Mamoru, is everything okay? H-How have you been today?"

He glanced up, appearing almost startled at the fact she was still there, but he smiled welcomingly.

"I've been…I've just been practicing my forms. I don't get a chance to often, but I need to remain in top condition."

Usagi hesitated, unsure of how to continue. Mamoru, meanwhile, walked over to where he left his practice sword. He picked it up, giving it a few measured swings. He then headed into the middle of the training ground, which was composed of an open air dirt floor. There were remnants of grass growing sporadically where it had yet to be trampled by feet, and practice weapons lined against the right wall. Further on, she could now see the larger training grounds as a whole and the barracks where many more people were gathered. She paid them no more heed though, and, instead, watched him carefully, noting the ease in which he held the sword and how he instinctively stood on the balls of his feet.

"Mamoru, we've known each other a long time right?" Usagi prodded.

He shot her an easy smile, going through a quick form. "I don't know if you can call it a long time. We didn't like each other at first, remember?"

She giggled. She remembered all too well. "Long enough though, right? If there's something bothering you, you can tell me."

He paused in his form, the sword held steady out in front of him. He licked his lips, almost nervously. "Not this princess."

He continued his form, and again, she was stuck. She watched him, trying to think of another way to get him to open up. Mamoru was amazingly light on his feet, he almost seemed to float. She knew enough about swordsmanship to know that he was also incredibly fast. She felt her cheeks heating up as she watched his handsome features settled into a deep concentrate and as she remembered that but a few minutes ago she had been held by his athletic frame. Shaking off such thoughts, Usagi was suddenly struck by an idea.

"Teach me."

Mamoru paused again, this time, stopping his sword form completely and resting the practice weapon point down. "What?"

"Teach me how to swordfight."

"You've had some basic lessons right?" He looked puzzled. "I thought for sure Lord Artemis gave you lessons and Lady Minako for that matter."

"Yes, but it's been awhile."

He hesitated, running a hand through his dark hair and then visibly swallowed. His voice was almost shaky when he answered. "Okay."

She smiled brightly. "Great!"

"Let me get you a practice sword."

She walked out into the middle of the training field as he moved to the practice weapons. Mamoru took a moment finding the lightest weight practice sword before walking back over to her. He handed it to her, makeshift hilt first.

"Alright, what do you remember? Yes…that's right, feet shoulder-width apart and on your toes…good. And your guard? Yes."

Usagi grinned, pleased with herself for remembering everything so far, even if it was only the proper defensive stance. Mamoru continued to cast a critical eye on her, nodding his head.

"Now, let me see a basic vertical slice. Nothing fancy."

She did as he commanded, bringing the sword down in a sweeping arch.

"Not bad…except. Make it more forceful. This is a life or death situation. And when you do, make sure you hands… Ah wait. I'll just show you."

Her eyes widened as he suddenly stepped behind her. She could feel his presence acutely, and even more so as he wrapped his arms around to her own hands at the hilt of the sword, his body pressed against her back.

"Here. Position your hands just a little farther…there we go. Now, let's take it through the vertical slice. Slowly this time, and then we'll move into a horizontal slice.

Mamoru shifted with her, bringing the sword down and then across. Usagi had to take a step as his long arms forced her to carry it a bit farther than her reach. As they brought the sword back in, she stepped back quickly, and unfortunately for Mamoru, right onto his foot.

She gasped and turned, letting go of the practice sword, worried that she might have hurt him. He could only chuckle at her innocent concern. Her worry quickly changed into a scowl and he forced himself to stop.

"Princess, it's okay! I'm wearing boots! Besides, if I did let something as simple as getting my toes stepped on bother me, I wouldn't be an Asliro."

Her scowl remained, but it was lighthearted and there was a playful gleam in her eyes as she looked up at him. "Why you! I was honestly worried and you can only laugh!"

His mirth immediately subsided at the end of her words as they both realized they were standing rather intimately, his arms still enclosed around her. The moment intensified as they exchanged deep stares. Usagi vaguely thought that she had never felt as secure or safe as she did right then.

Then Mamoru spoke, his voice no more than a hoarse whisper. "Princess, I'm going to kiss you right now."

Usagi swallowed and made a barely discernable movement with her head. She could feel his body pressed closely against hers and her heart thudded in her chest. She thought her throat felt dry and that suddenly it was much too hot. But then his lips met hers and all thought went out the window.

"They look so right together…" The words were spoken softly and immediately lost into the air. The voice, held more than a hint of pained wonder and Rei hissed out a barely discernable curse.

She stood at the other end of the breezeway, bow and quiver on her back, the couple long unaware of her presence. She had come searching for Usagi after getting tired of waiting for her. She did not have to go far.

She had walked onto the edge of the training grounds just as Mamoru began showing Usagi the sword maneuvers. At first she had bristled at how close he dared come to the princess. Now as they were caught up in their kiss, a rage of emotions stormed inside of her. Bitterness, fury, rejection, anguish, uselessness, self-hate…

Rei leaned against a column, dark hair spilling down in front of her face as she bowed her head in pain. She wanted to leave, gods, she wanted to leave, knowing the couple was just behind her, but she was frozen. She did not bother to hide herself even as she heard footsteps approaching. Instead she stood there upon the curb of the breezeway, unable to find the will to move, only clenching her fists; nails digging into her palms deep enough to leave marks.

The footsteps stopped and Rei knew that the person was taking in everything that was going on in the training grounds. She felt eyes on her, and she found herself not caring what this person thought. _Let them assume what they will, but just let them leave_. The thought came furiously as she felt the eyes boring into her.

To her surprise, she felt the person hesitantly approach closer. Rei looked up, rage flashing across her face at the person who dared to bother her. The rage abruptly vanished as she realized it was Minako with a hand outstretched to grab her attention. Minako's eyes widened at the visible fury, and then softened after Rei's shoulders slumped and her head bowed, defeated.

With a soft voice, Minako took Rei's clenched fist in hand. "Come on Rei. Let's go see what Makoto and Ami are doing for lunch."

Without a sound, Minako led the dark-haired young woman away, giving the princess and the Asliro privacy. Rei was oblivious to the mirrored pain in Minako's eyes.

* * *

Ym'dea Eesp was the deep, aquamarine ocean that lapped at the shores of the peninsula kingdom of Revlis El'inmilnum. Long had the sea served the kingdom and its citizens, and before that, the myriad of city-states. Many a seafarer had prayed to Neptune in her distant shrine to soothe the ocean and give safe passage over treacherous waters.

The shrine, Triton, rose out of the ocean. Its walls were made of a white stone flecked with blue and green. The sea continuously crashed against it, ebbing out to reveal walls surprisingly free of algae or crustacean. It was a beautiful shrine. Its architecture curved and spiraled forming multiple towers seen above the sea, while others lay hidden still beneath the surface.

Triton did not float, nor was it what could be typically considered an island. It was carved into rock that extended deep into the ocean floor. It had but one opening at the surface of the sea, comparable to a cave, with wave like designs and the symbol of the Guardian of the Seas carved into the stone of the entrance. The sea spilling into Triton, immediately calmed, forming a deep saltwater pool in the central hall of the shrine.

Sitting on the last of the dry steps that surrounded and led down into the pool was a seemingly young woman. She was slender with ocean like hair and eyes. Her deep blue garments underlined her frame, clenching at the waist with a silver chain-linked belt and leaving her arms bare. The skirt was short, letting her stretch legs and bare feet out into the water. She wore a silver necklace that accentuated the neckline of her dress and with it, a matching bracelet on her left wrist.

The Guardian of the Seas dipped the first two fingers of her hand into the calm waters, slowly moving it in a tight circle. She kept up the motion, but raised her hand completely out of the pool. The water followed, swirling in a small cylindrical mass. She smiled slightly, and then let it go. The water made a slight splash as it rejoined the pool; it was a nice distraction to her otherwise troubled thoughts.

Something was wrong in the kingdom and it worried her. After years of peace and years of loneliness, something was deeply wrong.

It was a bitter task that was set before her. Left alone to guard the very kingdom that betrayed her, she took care of its people as best as she could. If nothing else, she did it in memory of the first Queen Serenity. It was for what her queen, her _friend_, worked for that she did what she could as Guardian of the Seas. She would not see her queen's kingdom suffer after all that she did to ensure peace. And now the sea surged continuously, trying to warn her of the darkness. Chaos and violence lurked in her dreams when asleep and in the back of her mind when she was awake. And the winds...

Michiru looked up sharply as she felt a pulse that could only be the Deep Aqua Mirror. She rose to her feet quickly, water dripping down her legs. Stepping out of the pool, she gave but a small blink of concentration and the excess salt water formed a small puddle at her feet leaving her completely dry.

Her footfalls were padded softly as she walked over the layered thick carpet to the other end of the entrance hall where she had left her Deep Aqua Mirror. It lay on the ledge of a scrying pool that had been long present before even she came to Triton. Now, the scrying pool used by the ancients drew its power from her, channeling her Mirror. Yet she favored her Mirror more, it was more than just a scrying tool. The Deep Aqua Mirror was an extension of herself and more powerful. It was also a reminder, albeit sometimes painful, of many things. But it had not mattered for the past few lunar cycles for both the Mirror and the scrying pool remained blank and unyielding.

Until now…

She held the Mirror tightly in both hands. Michiru was both anxious and uneasy. The Mirror had never reacted like this before and after such a long period of silence too…

She peered into the glass and in her mind's eye she saw the vision the Deep Aqua Mirror had to give.

A large ship, launching off from the mainland. The same ship, anchored, she immediately understood, not far away. A rowboat. A flash of blonde and green and a sudden breeze. _Oh gods…Haruka...?_ A tall, domineering man. His eyes. Dark pools that settled on her through the mirror. A smirk.

She was thrown out of the vision, the Mirror falling from her grasp to hit the floor. She stumbled, disoriented from being thrust out.

Michiru recovered quickly; she had years of lonely practice in grace. She reached down to pick up the Deep Aqua Mirror, already knowing that looking for anymore answers would be futile. Nevertheless, she peered back into the glass. As suspected, it remained blank and unresponsive to her call yet again. Quickly coming to a decision, she tucked the Mirror into her belt.

She raised her arms in front of her. Her left arm bent at the elbow and her right arm moving in slow precise motions, fingers placed just so. Her eyes closed, she drew on her shrine and she felt the waters stir around Triton. With just a bare ripple, her sense erupted outward and everything in Ym'dea Eesp was within her grasp. Michiru was quick to find the ship, and from there, the rowboat and its path. It was heading straight toward her, and closing in faster than she expected.

Her unease grew, as well as her curiosity. The man in the vision had to be in the rowboat. He obviously manipulated her sense of the Deep Aqua Mirror. And as for the other notion…that whisper of winds, of Haruka…she dared not to think the impossible.

She hesitated and took a seat on the ledge of the scrying pool in deep contemplation. Debating her choice of actions, she found her thoughts turning to that smirk and felt a flush of cold anger. Part of her wanted to send waves crashing down on the rowboat. Nothing could withstand the fury of her sea once it entered the waters. Not even this hulking man who mocked her with his playing of the Mirror and her vision.

It only made sense, with that smirk and those dark eyes. He was the one behind her blocked visions and blank Deep Aqua Mirror. Her own sea-blue eyes narrowed in anger. What game was he playing? She was Neptune, Guardian of the Seas, and a deity to the people of Revlis El'inmilnum. Michiru was not one for rash actions, but after all the sacrifices she was forced to make for the citizens of the kingdom. After their betrayal…She would not accept this - his playing with her emotions and her abilities regardless of who he might be.

Fine then, let this man feel her cold fury.

She raised her arms, straight into the air this time. She felt the sea rage with her, building up power. She stopped suddenly, on the brink of letting it go. Her eyes widened at the sudden breeze that swept into the entrance hall of Triton

It could not be real.

But it wasn't a figment of her imagination. The anger rushed out of her in a swoop. She felt the wind as it gently caressed her cheek, as it played with her hair, barely believing it as it brought forth and unconscious and beautiful smile. There was only one such person who that could be, but that was...

Michiru could feel her heart beat almost painfully. Her voice was just a whisper of astonishment. "…Impossible…"

She responded the only way she knew she could to such a sign and let her arms drop and the power go. Ym'dea Eesp abated and calmed immediately at her command. Even if it was truthfully but an infinitely small chance that Haruka was aboard that rowboat, she would not take the risk. Yet she could not just sit by idly and wait while the man that inspired such uneasiness in her came to her shrine. It was entirely possible this was some scheme of this dark man who knew too much. She would not take the chance though.

Michiru came to a decision. She was done hesitating. She walked quickly up the left side of the main stairs that framed the scrying pool. Ignoring the long hallways and open rooms of the second floor, she went straight ahead off the stairs into a large open room. Passing through one of the numerous arches, she walked to the back of the room. There, mounted on the back wall, were two long and bladed weapons.

One was a trident, but this was not a simple fisherman's tool. Its outside prongs were bladed, allowing it be used a slicing weapon. The center prong was longer and the metal was twisted gracefully, until it came to a gleaming point. The shaft was made of a silver metal, etched with blue wave designs down its length.

The other weapon was a naginata. Its single blade curved into a deadly edge, her symbol etched into its surface. The shaft was made of an aged wood and ringed with metal. Considering for a moment, she chose the heavier trident. Better to meet whoever might be on the rowboat with a weapon that invoked her element, position, and legends.

She retraced her steps, trident in hand, and returned to the entrance hall. Once there, with a brief flare of power, she channeled a current underneath the rowboat, unwilling to wait.

It was but a moment later when the rowboat glided into the pool. Michiru took no heed of the rowers with their oars skimming above the water, useless in face of the current. Nor did she pay attention to the man lounging in the stern even as his dark eyes settled upon her.

All her attention was on the figure that rose to her feet in the front of the rowboat as it entered the shrine. A tall blonde with fierce eyes and familiar sword that leaned forward in the utmost anticipation. Then their eyes met, sea-blue reuniting with bright green and the wind was finally able reintroduced itself to the sea.

Michiru felt the trident slip from her grasp, unable to truly believe the impossible. Disbelief etched onto a normally impassive face in the revelation that her love was actually here. She stumbled forward scarcely aware of entering the saltwater pool. Haruka, unable to wait any longer, let out a strangled cry and dove into the water. She was halfway to the steps before the trident even hit the ground.

They met, somewhere in the middle with the water about waist high, in a fierce embrace. They clung to each other desperately, being physically close for the first in forever. Haruka felt the strain on her tunic as Michiru gripped the fabric tightly, but she was too busy holding her as close as possible to mind.

She buried her face into the wavy hair like she used to do so long ago and felt a hiss of breath against her neck. Haruka then realized Michiru was repeatedly murmuring her name in fierce emotion. "Michiru…" She managed to choke out in return. "…Michiru..." Half-sobbing, half laughing the second time she uttered her name. She noted her vision going blurry. She blinked and realized that for the first since they had been separated, she was crying out of happiness. After so long, it still felt unreal.

Neither was aware of the rowboat finally docking at the steps, nor of the splash as one person exited the craft and subsequently waded out of the pool. Instead, Michiru leaned back a little to look up at Haruka's face. Sea-blue eyes shined in wonderment and unadulterated elation.

Michiru reached up a hand, touching Haruka's cheek with her fingertips and then cupping it with her palm. "You're here. You're real. You're Haruka." Michiru whispered.

Haruka's hand went to Michiru's, catching it and holding it tightly.

"Touching." A voice drawled, interrupting and ruining the moment.

Michiru turned her head and apprised the man that dared to interrupt their reunion. She noted his regal bearing, fine clothes, and the now familiar unsettling smirk. Her eyes connected with the dark pools that were shown in the Deep Aqua Mirror. She was vaguely aware of Haruka shifting, placing herself defensively between her and the man.

"Guardian of the Seas, deity Neptune. You are as beautiful as the stories make you out to be. I am Ochas, Emperor-King of Areth." He offered no bow. Instead, he gestured to the floor underneath his feet. "How about we talk on solid ground?"

Haruka scowled in response, but Michiru laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. It was a familiar action, even if it had been forever.

"This is my home, Ochas." Michiru said benignly. "I make the house rules." She still walked forward, leaving Haruka behind in momentary surprise. The Guardian of Heavens was quick to recover, understanding Michiru's words as a reminder to both of them that this was her domain.

Haruka waded rapidly through the pool to catch up and step out the same time as Michiru did. She was suddenly conscious of her clothes, heavy with water as they hung off of her frame. Michiru fared no better and Ochas's lower half was also soaked through.

A flick of Michiru's hand, and each was returned completely dry. Another flick and the water all returned into the pool. With a certain grace, she bent down to pick up the fallen trident. Haruka's eyes were warm on her, while Ochas emitted a stare that did not fail in making her feel uncomfortable, though Michiru was careful not to show it.

"That's a fancy new toy, Michiru." Haruka remarked with half a smile, noting the fine weapon.

Michiru shook her head and answered softly. "Not so new Haruka."

"And that is the problem." Ochas interrupted. He smiled, but it failed to reach his eyes. "It's also something I can fix."

"Is that how you're here?" Michiru asked, turning toward Haruka. The blonde nodded her head in response and took one of Michiru's hands in hers, gripping it tightly.

"Neptune, Uranus has agreed to serve me in exchange for her freedom." Ochas said calmly and still smiling emptily. "I ask the same from you. I bring change and revolution to a kingdom that has ignored the needs of its guardians after locking them away. How easy it is, to wish for safe passage on the seas. How easy it is, to ask for the winds to usher in rain. These people have taken advantage of you and the royal family has long forgotten you. Serve me Neptune and take your place beside the one you love."

Michiru's eyes went to Haruka's, looking for answers and reassurance. A long moment of silence passed. The rowers in the boat kept to themselves, unable to find the courage to speak and intrude upon the atmosphere of Triton. Ochas waited, dark eyes observing the two guardians as they stood close together.

His voice echoed in the entrance hall when he spoke again. "What do you owe to Revlis El'inmilnum? A kingdom that betrayed you."

"Michiru," Haruka said, pitching her voice too low for Ochas to hear. "You don't have to do this. I could stay here with you."

"I would not bind you and have you give up the freedom you need to thrive Haruka. Not after obtaining it after so long." Michiru murmured.

"It's a magical contract. It's a different binding then what we have…I had…but it still is an obligation to serve him."

"If I chose not to do this then, I would have to wait for you to return, wait for him to let you come visit me."

"Michiru, I don't want you to do this!" Haruka's voice was a fierce whisper. "There's something wrong with this magical contract! With him! I've done things, this past lunar cycle…horrible things I never thought I could do, but now I've only been glad to carry them out. Please don't do this."

"Haruka," Michiru said softly, "I can't be separated from you again. Not after we've been given this chance. I would still follow you to hell and back."

They exchanged an intense stare that transformed into small pained smiles before turning their attention back to the expectant Ochas.

"I am not doing this out of revenge. Nor am I doing this in bitterness or anger. Though I do not hesitate to say I yearn for the first and feel strongly in the other two." Michiru said. Keeping her hand locked in Haruka's grip, she looked toward the open entrance of Triton, into the vast expanse of Ym'dea Eesp that waited outside the walls of her shrine. "I did what I could in honor of my queen. But she has long been dead and her descendants are strangers to me. I do this for Haruka, and selfishly for myself."

She turned gracefully toward Ochas, and saw that he watched her, studied her with those unsettling dark eyes.

"I do not ask for an explanation, Neptune. Only for your agreement."

Michiru could tell his voice was meant to be soothing, but she could only shudder under his stare and at his tone. She hesitated one moment longer, meeting Haruka's uncertain gaze, before answering.

"Give me my freedom from this place and I will serve you."

He smiled widely "We have an understanding then."

Haruka stepped up behind Michiru, laying a hand on her shoulder as they both watched the obsidian energy coil around the fingers of Ochas's right hand before curling up and around, gradually covering his entire hand and wrist. He held it out to Michiru, waiting for her to take it. Without any more hesitation, she did.

The obsidian power twisted up her arm immediately and soon she was submerged in the dark energy. Then the magic binding her to Triton was smothered, a faint relief of pressure she never really noticed anymore. This only lasted the span of a heartbeat before the dark power converged in upon her with a painful constriction that sent her gasping. She wanted to collapse underneath the pain and sharp reintroduction to magical binding, but strong, warm arms supported her, juxtaposing to the shadowy power she just felt.

Haruka held Michiru steady, smoothing back some of the wavy hair that fell into her face. Her eyes settled on Ochas, recovering from issuing the magical contract. If only she could strike him down now, while he was recovering. He brought her to Michiru, like he promised, but after everything, she was still far from trusting him. But the most she could manage was a twitch of her hand over the hilt of her sword and a brief swirl of wind around her fingertips when her thoughts were adding up to harm him.

Ochas recovered about the same time as Michiru, standing up straight and casting a critical eye on the pair of them. Haruka glowered back at him as Michiru let out a deep breath before moving out of the embrace. They caught each other's glance, both instinctively realizing they were thinking the same thing.

To hell and back indeed.

**Fin Chapter**

A/N: I think everything is pretty clear so far, but if you have any questions or need anything clarified let me know

So why a naginata for Michiru? Because naginatas are sexy and the screw the symbolism tied in with a trident. A naginata also kind of fits Michiru because it was weapon used by a lot of samurai's wives in order to defend themselves. It was essentially seen as a weapon for a proper lady.

The horses' names…Zephyr is obvious and doesn't really need an explanation. Suijin is the Shinto god of water in Japan. It's normally a masculine name but I used it for my own purposes as a feminine name.

FYI, in case you didn't know, Ten'ousei is the Japanese name for Uranus.

Anagram Corner!

This chapter's anagrams are:

-Ym'dea Eesp

-Hawkai

Ym'dea Eesp ties in with Suwdin G'nrih and that is as much of a hint as I'm going to give you for that one. As for Hawkai…that shouldn't be too hard, just think of what it is in reference too.

Last chapter's anagram (Asliro) was sailor, which I imagine most of you got.

Pronunciation Guide:

Revlis El'inmilnum: rev-liss el-in-mil-num

Talrysc Kotyo: tal-risk co-tee-oh

Ochas: oh-chas or oh-kass

Areth: A-reth

Suwdin G'nrih: tsu-din gee-rih

Onom: oh-numm

Ym'dea Eesp: eem-dee-ah esp

Asliro: as-lee-ro

Hawkai: hall-kai

Next Chapter Preview: The world comes crashing down on Talrysc Kotyo

All reviews are appreciated!


	5. Apocalypse

A/N: An update! Finally. Thanks to Soleil-Lune for beta-ing!

**Revlis El'inmilnum**

_Chapter Four: Apocalypse_

Queen Serenity XI stood at the Palladian window in her study. The sky had been overcast all day and the lunarrise had come quickly, hidden behind the clouds. Now the wind raged outside and rain pounded against the windows. Looking out unto the night, she shivered, but not from cold. The fire in the study was stoked high, casting ample light and heat. With its warm colors, comfortable couches, thick books, and cozy openness, it should have felt as if it was one of the safest places in Revlis El'inmilnum. Deep inside the palace, guarded by Asliro, and enclosed by two different walls; it should _be_ the safest place this side of Ym'dea Eesp. Yet Serenity shivered.

She normally enjoyed storms. Often, they were relaxing. However, this one seemed more of a harbinger. Of what, she was not sure. Rubbing her arms, she walked away from the window and settled herself on the couch closest to the fire.

Artemis, from his position opposite of her, looked up from his book to eye the queen. "You seem entirely unsettled."

"Do I?" Serenity tore her gaze from the flickering flames, her answer more curious than surprised. "Forgive me. Nothing seems right these days."

"Are you worried about the patrol?" Luna questioned, sitting next to Artemis. "They return tomorrow." She said, trying to appease the queen.

"I know." Serenity replied. "But we still have heard nothing from the last one to venture out. There have been no messages. No word. Nothing. The entire city is even at a standstill. It has been a lunar cycle since we have heard from the nearest of cities. Now we have villagers camping outside our walls, fleeing from some unknown enemy."

"Unknown?" Luna near growled, "Arethian barbarians more like it."

"Probably. Yet who ever the enemy is, it does not matter at the moment. Chaos is about to fall upon us, and I feel as if there is nothing more we can do."

"We're holding a strict guard. We do have all the best mages in Revlis El'inmilnum. They're all ready for whatever it may be." Artemis reminded.

"There has to be something more…I fear for the city…for the future." Serenity replied hesitating.

"This is sudden, and unlike you. You've held your confidence until now." Luna said, leaning forward. There was a hint of question and worry to her voice.

"Perhaps it's just the storm." Artemis said offhandedly.

"Perhaps." Serenity echoed.

Except for the storm outside and the cackling of the fire, silence fell into the study. A moment later, Serenity spoke again. "No…perhaps not. We have been at a standstill for a lunar cycle. I fear to send out any more soldiers when we do not know what to expect. Yet I am leaving the rest of my kingdom to suffer."

"This is the best we can do at the moment." Luna reminded softly.

"I know." Serenity replied. "The whole kingdom feels imbalanced…Can you not tell? I fear all the other cities have fallen. I fear the enemy waits right around the corner."

Artemis set his book completely aside. His tenor voice was soothing. "We've discussed this before. We have no knowledge of what is happening beyond Talrysc Kotyo. All we can do is stand at the ready."

Serenity's response was heartening as she smiled slightly. "You sound extremely calm to be predicting the apocalypse."

"I have faith in our defenses."

"I worry about those outside our walls." Serenity replied, quickly returning to her on-edged state.

"Strategically, there is nothing we can do at this moment besides wait." Luna reminded. "Like Artemis said, we have no knowledge of what is waiting beyond our city."

Serenity leaned back on the couch, "I seem to only talk in circles these days. We had this conversation but just this morning."

"And the day before that and the day before that." Artemis smiled slightly.

Serenity gave him a playful glare that quickly grew somber. "Yet tonight, I feel as if ruin is but just around the corner. Revlis El'inmilnum has been in state of disquiet… The wind remains unsettled and the sea has joined it…The guardians of our kingdom are unknown when we need them most… Is it not curious as to why_ she_ has yet to make an appearance?"

Luna's eyebrows shot up. "She? Do you mean…?"

"The Guardian of Time? Yes." Serenity replied. "This is as much as her kingdom as it is mine."

"That's a slight exaggeration don't you think?" Artemis queried.

"No." Serenity replied shortly. "Though I have met her all of three times, and she has pledged herself to serve me like she has my ancestors. She has protected and guided this kingdom since the beginning and before."

"Why do you think she has not come? You said it yourself; we seem to be on the edge of an apocalypse. I think this marks enough of a time when her presence and power are greatly needed." Luna said.

"I can only guess. One reason is good and the other is bad. Either way, I wish she was here. If nothing else she could give me the information I have been looking for." Serenity said more to herself than to Luna or Artemis, "She has always been here…" Serenity trailed off, a curious look coming over her face. She stood up suddenly. "I never checked there…That would make sense." She was at the door a moment later leaving a bewildered Artemis and Luna. She paused at the door, shooting an apologetic glance toward them. "Forgive me. I will talk to you both later."

"Back to the library?" Luna questioned.

"Yes. I just realized there was one place I should have looked all this time."

"You still haven't told us what you've been looking for…" Artemis prompted.

"I shall explain it to you afterwards. Hopefully this will hold the information I am searching for, and perhaps, on the off-chance, may explain a few wild notions that I have had this past lunar cycle." Serenity replied. Without any more parting words, she left her study.

Moving quickly out of the royal family's private wing, she navigated the familiar walk towards the palace library. It was still early in the night and the hallways were busy with all manners of people from servants to Asliro. Luckily, she managed to make it to the library without any unnecessary commotion. Perhaps it was the direct walk and fierce expression of contemplation on her face. Her thoughts were rapid; most of them resting on the fate of her kingdom and the remainder were on what she hoped to find in the library. Yet, these two were intertwined.

Reaching a side door to the library, she slipped in. The palace boasted the largest library of Revlis El'inmilnum and perhaps the whole continent. Each book was either a copy, carefully transcribed by the palace scholars, or the original manuscript. Serenity found herself in the central chamber of the library, which was a large domed room. Carefully organized books lined the walls and shelves were placed symmetrically throughout. The library was lit mostly by fire, but there was an ethereal glow that provided light mystically throughout its space. Tables and desks were set up periodically, and a small lounge was formed in the center of the dome. There were no librarians on staff at the moment, as it was after hours. A few scholars however, were scattered about in various corners, pouring over dusty tomes.

Edging unnoticed along the perimeter, Serenity made her way deeper into the library and to the increasingly smaller rooms and hallways that were rarely visited. Passing into one such room, she glanced back toward the main chamber and smiled as she spotted Ami at a table some distance away. The water mage was flipping through a tome rapidly, and sitting opposite of her was Makoto who, as much as Serenity could tell from the distance, was trying not to look bored.

Serenity moved on, finding herself deeper in the library. Here, there were no torches, but the magic of the library lit her way forming an almost natural light. She turned a corner and stopped short as she nearly collided with another person. She shook her head lightly and blinked, recollecting herself.

A hand reached out and steadied her at her elbow. Though she needed no help to regain her balance, the grip was strong and warm. The person spoke with a rapid, worried tone. "Ah, I'm so sorry! I should have been paying attention to where I was going!"

Serenity met the eyes of the other person, already pinpointing them as an off-duty Asliro by their dress. It was the dark-haired, handsome Asliro known as Mamoru. His eyes widened as he belatedly recognized her. His hand shot back from her elbow and he held both up in panic. "Your Majesty! Forgive me! I wasn't-I didn't mean-"

"Mamoru!" A new voice cut in. It was Serenity's turn to be surprised as she recognized the voice as her daughter's, but she masked the expression much better than Mamoru ever could. "What's going on?"

Mamoru whirled as Usagi appeared around the corner, a small stack of books in her arms. The princess stopped short at his side once she realized her mother stood before them. Usagi smiled, albeit, a little uncertainly, "Mama."

"Usagi, what are you doing in the library at this hour? Usually you try to avoid it at all costs." Serenity said lightly.

"We're just getting some books for Ami on recent Arethian history." Usagi answered, holding the books up. Mamoru promptly took them from her, tucking them under one arm.

"History of Areth?" Serenity raised an eyebrow. As far as she knew, the suspicions she had shared with Luna and Artemis about the enemy attacks had been kept in shadow to all except her generals.

Usagi blushed slightly under the question, unconsciously inching closer to Mamoru. "It's just a theory we have all shared. We're getting some background information on it. Mamoru was going back to tell Ami we had found some books, but then I heard voices so I followed."

Serenity eyed the pair knowingly, marking her daughter's quick defense of the Asliro's actions in leaving her to carry the books and their closeness in standing. Keeping her face impassive, she clasped her hands behind her. "I see."

She let them both stand uncomfortably for a moment, catching the glance they shot toward each other. She watched as Usagi steeled herself to speak, and interrupted just as her daughter began to open her mouth. That bit of decisiveness in an uncomfortable situation was all that the queen was waiting for from her heir. Serenity smiled and nodded her head, "Well, carry on then."

She walked on past them, hiding her smile as Mamoru recovered in just enough time to bow. Hearing her daughter's audible sigh of relief, she paused. "Do not stay up too late. You have lessons with Luna tomorrow morning and with me tomorrow afternoon."

"Of course mama. Goodnight."

"Goodnight. May the moon guide your dreams." Serenity responded, unwilling to curb the affection in her voice. She took her leave; stepping into the small hallway Mamoru and Usagi appeared from. Her daughter's voice unknowingly echoed down the corridor after her, "…I didn't even ask what she was doing here!"

This time Serenity let a smile spread on her face at Usagi's slight sulk. She would have to ask about Mamoru tomorrow. She had certainly missed that bit of court gossip. She could not blame her daughter for not telling her though. Her own mother had only realized her courtship after she had eloped to Usagi's father. Besides, they had both been busy as of late. It would be good to have the whole afternoon with her daughter tomorrow. It had been awhile since they last had a chance to spend a significant amount of time together.

Her path was taking her deeper and deeper into the library. Books still lined the walls and many lay dusty from being undisturbed for so long. The floor was at an incline here, and she knew she was underneath the palace. It should have been dark and cold, yet the magic engraved in the library kept her way warm and bright. Taking a final turn, she arrived at her destination.

A black iron gate stretched from floor to ceiling, barring her entrance. Inside lay a selection of books as well as an ancient desk and chair. The room was small, nearly just an alcove, yet she knew its contents were vastly confidential. Holding her hand in front of her, a blink of concentration sent a stream of brilliant light magic to unlock the gate. The iron immediately retracted to allow her access. Her task now apparent to her, Serenity felt for sure her answers lay in this room. She took a moment to observe the contents. Some were ancient manuscripts, preserved by magic, others dated to just a few years ago. These were the personal documents, journals, letters and other such items of the previous monarchs of Revlis El'inmilnum. They dated to the founder and her namesake, Queen Serenity I and it was these documents that Queen Serenity XI selected.

She settled herself into the chair, placing the documents on the desk before her. She picked up the first of the bound pages and briefly thought for more light. The room immediately brightened and Serenity began to read.

* * *

The stormy night had opened to a beautiful day. The sun shone brilliantly, initially evaporating leftover puddles. The blue of the sky was intensely deep and contrasted against a few wispy cirrus clouds that lingered in the heavens. Yet inside Talrysc Kotyo, no one noticed.

It was chaos.

Just as lunarset passed, the North Gate was blown apart. Chunks of stone, wood, and shrapnel claimed the lives of the citizens and guards gathered there. In space of an hour, the East Gates, the Southeast Gate, and the Southwest Gate met similar fates. With four gaping holes in the city's defenses, the queen and her subordinates scrambled to reclaim control. Before they could even start to organize, the normal peaceful river that flowed through the streets transformed into raging, churning rapids. Its original surge claimed more lives, and now as it overflowed; it flooded the streets and impeded movement.

Morning grew late and just as everything was in the beginning of having a semblance of organization, the enemy struck full on. They emerged from all directions; through the woods to the North, over the farmland and hill rise to the South, straight on the path from the East, and cutting through the lowland marsh to the West. Revlis soldiers were ready, but not for an overwhelming attack like this.

The enemy that fell on Talrsyc Kotyo clearly outnumbered the defenders. Unlike previous reports, they carried a banner and the soldiers were marked upon their rough armor, bearing Areth's insignia, a simple white geometric design of a sword framed by wings printed on a black background. They were ferocious fighters and they cut through the broken defenses with few casualties. The battle really found itself in the streets of the city. Despite its size and numerous nooks and crannies, the citizens could find nowhere to hide.

The remaining defenders of Revlis El'inmilnum still held the advantage in mages, but in close quarters with overwhelming numbers and citizens to worry about, these advantages became negligible. The flooded streets ran red. The majority of the fighting was gradually pushed back towards the palace, leaving the dead, the wounded, and the terrified in the wake.

Amid this, one dark figure cut a straight path through the mayhem. He was clad in very little armor, just his primary sword arm encased in a guard, but none had yet to come close to touching him. Ochas paid little regard to those who fell before him; civilians, Revlis soldiers, his own soldiers…His sword dripped blood and an aura of power surrounded him. There were but a few choice warriors that shadowed him, following his lead and dealing death along the way. It was but a matter of time until he made it to the walls of the palace. Here, the Asliro had waited, the finest warriors of Revlis El'inmilnum, and stood their ground. They were drawn into battle now, his own elite meeting them in a fierce struggle.

Ochas paused; a source of calm in the chaos that echoed in the rest of the city. He propped his hulking broadsword on his one shoulder guard, regarding the gates in front of him and the battle around him. He allowed himself one smirk. The Asliro were holding off his forces at the moment, but he could feel the flux of power that marked Uranus and Neptune's steadfast approach. With them, he could concentrate fully on the last threat – the queen.

Despite his confidence and outward poise, nerves clung to him at this thought and Ochas gritted his teeth in rage at his own sudden uncertainty. He growled and let his power flow. Gripping the hilt, he channeled the energy through his sword and, with a yell, let the obsidian power burst forth. The gates, sturdy as they were, stood no chance. They burst inward, taking out the Asliro that waited just on the other side.

Seeing nothing but the palace in front of him, Ochas regained his composure. With a raised hand, he signaled the warriors that shadowed him to storm through. He felt them brush by and bared his teeth in a wicked smile as they charged inside.

Just as he made to follow them, he glanced over his shoulder and eyed the two figures that suddenly appeared behind him. Both remained completely unharmed and hardly disheveled. He also noted that there was no trace of blood on either of their bladed weapons.

Neptune leveled a cold stare and Uranus spoke beside her, her voice dangerous and low. "And how many more civilians do you want to die?"

"Civilians? I never said anything about killing civilians. I need citizens to rule after all…" He cocked his head to the side, eyeing the appearance of dozen Asliro that cautiously approached from the shattered gates. "Ah, take care of those for me."

He watched impassively as they met their opponents. Swiftly disabling them, but dealing no death blows. It was as he thought, but he was not all that surprised all things considered. They were under his control, but they would resist and do things their own way as they saw fit if they were able to. He started his walk forward, straight through the battle. He did not bother to even bring his sword up into a guard position. None would touch him.

Then he felt the flare of power that was both the twin and opposite to his own. Looking up onto the battlements, he caught sight of the queen. There was nothing but her intense gaze issuing the challenge. Then he was through the gates and for the moment she was gone.

Distracted, he whirled just in time to catch the blade of an Asliro with his own sword. He caught the profile of his attacker as their blades locked; a dark-haired young man with his jaw clenched and dark eyes sharp in determination.

"Boy," Ochas said lowly, "you are a fool."

The Asliro did not speak, instead he redoubled his effort. He slid out of their locked blades, turning inside to deal an elbow to the gut. Ochas's confidence backfired and he took the blow. However, the king of Areth did not even flinch and as the Asliro spun back out, Ochas flicked his sword upward, the blade brimming with obsidian power. The swipe slid through the light armor the Asliro wore easily, leaving a precise cut along the rib cage. The Asliro stumbled and Ochas took the opening.

Yet again, the king underestimated his opponent as the Asliro flung out a hand. The ground in front of him shot up immediately under the magic. Ochas's sword, still encased in power, barreled through the wall of earth, but the magic gave the Asliro time to recover.

Ochas did not press his attack. Instead he held his sword in a relax grip, point downward, regarding his opponent. He paid no mind to the screams and sounds of battle that surrounded them, not even flinching as an errant stream of fire cut close along his side. The Asliro stood in a defensive stance, breathing heavily, but holding his sword in one hand. The other hand gripped the cut along his ribs, blood seeping out between his fingers.

Ochas narrowed his eyes, suddenly curious. "Do I know you boy?"

Before the Asliro could respond, a panicked call rang out. "Mamoru!"

Ochas's eyes slid over to regard the fair-haired young man that dashed forward. This new Asliro's face was contorted with anger, his sword raised offensively in one hand. The other hand was punched forward with an open palm, sending bullets of compressed air toward Ochas. The emperor-king quickly raised a hand encased in obsidian magic, the bullets stopping in front of him and then dissimilating into the air.

"Oops." Ochas said smiled wickedly at his new opponent.

Mamoru's eyes widened from his position, hearing Ochas' words. He staggered forward, attempting to stop the emperor-king, but his wound impeded his movement. He yelled blindly, "Motoki! No!"

Just as Motoki was about to fall upon Ochas with his sword, the emperor-king released his own power. It caught Motoki in his torso. He felt the crushing power and change of momentum as he was sent shooting backwards. He crashed into the walls near the gate, and knew no more.

"Motoki!" Mamoru roared. Before he could even attempt to retaliate with magic or sword, Ochas was in front of him. The emperor-king stilled him completely with an outstretched hand brimming with obsidian energy. Mamoru found himself seizing up completely, his muscles refusing to work.

"Enough child's play." Ochas said, "But you amuse me little Asliro. You can live for now."

Mamoru felt the pressure of Ochas's hand against his chest. He felt his legs give out, collapsing to the ground. He watched Ochas walk away; leaving him on the ground in the middle of the battlefield that was once the immaculate palace grounds. His hearing grew faint, the screams of pain, the clashing of weapons, now sounding distant. His last thoughts as darkness crept along his vision were of Usagi.

* * *

Queen Serenity's movements were unearthly as she battled off countless foes. Her light dress did not so much as impede movement as it did accentuate it, even in battle. A twist of the hand and arm sent out a beam of light and she flowed gracefully into further attacking forms. She was in constant motion, incapacitating foes. From the battlements of the palace, she fought her way into the gardens, the overwhelming numbers of the enemy never ceasing. Then she found herself in the Great Hall of her palace. What thoughts that were not concentrating on battling the enemy, fell on what she could feel was a predestined battle with Ochas, the fate of her citizens, and, of course, Usagi.

Artemis and Luna were with her. They both fought furiously with blades, following her wherever she went. Artemis's normally pristine white shirt was stained reddish brown and in tatters, but he claimed no serious wounds. Luna, too, was for the most part fine. She had lost quite a few inches of her long hair to a fire mage and now it just brushed the shoulder blades with burnt ends. As for Serenity, nothing had yet to touch her.

They stumbled into one of the main corridors of the palace leaving the Great Hall and dead Arethian soldiers behind. A few Asliro were with them, having survived the skirmish inside it. To their surprise, they found the corridor empty as far as they could see. They relaxed, briefly and let the adrenaline rush out of them, leaving them gasping for breath and with muscles suddenly weak. Luna felt one of her calf muscles seize in protest, crying out and falling against the wall as her leg became momentarily useless. Serenity quickly knelt and placed a hand on the leg. A brief glow of white magic and the muscle relaxed.

"Is everyone alright?" Serenity asked after a moment.

"Yes. No major injuries." Artemis replied. The Asliro with them nodded their assent.

"Just my hair." Luna murmured.

Artemis, by her side, fingered the burnt ends before offering her a smile. "I'll fix it up later, and don't worry it'll grow back."

All three drew to attention as they heard a crash echo down the corridor followed by screams and the familiar sounds of battle. Luna and Artemis stared down the darkened corridor, attempting to assess the situation. Luna regarded Artemis out of the corner of her eye, "Sounds like they've broken completely into the western wing of the palace. It's not just patches of them making their way into here anymore."

"No fighting toward the eastern wing," Artemis observed, turning to glance down the other end of the corridor. "Let's move."

The Asliro took off without another word, grimfaced and ready to rejoin the battle. Luna and Artemis did not follow them immediately; instead they eyed their queen who stood staring down the east end of the corridor.

"Serenity?" Luna questioned.

"Go on." Serenity replied. "I am going this way. There is something off…"

"Do you want us to come with you?" Luna asked anyway.

"No. Go with the Asliro." Serenity responded, "Luna, Artemis…if you find my daughter, keep her safe."

"Of course my queen." Artemis responded, taking a protesting Luna by the arm. "Stay safe."

He pulled Luna away as Serenity started her way down the other end of the corridor. Artemis watched her out of the corner of his eyes, his mouth set into a grim line and unable to suppress his sudden trepidation. Luna ceased her struggling and let Artemis pull her along, watching Serenity disappear with wide, worried eyes.

The queen did not glance back as she glided down the corridor toward the epicenter of the palace – the throne room.

It was quiet this way. The battle seemed far away and strange to the familiar walls of her palace. If she did not look out the windows, she could pretend that all was normal. Yet, one glance revealed her city in pieces. Smoke rose from fires that had yet to be put out and the majority of the streets remained flooded. Bitter fighting still continued as her soldiers and Asliro struggled to hang on.

As the corridor emptied into the massive entrance hall all seemed normal except for the lack of human presence. All non-fighters, from palace staff to nobles, had been encouraged to take refugee deep inside the palace, guarded by a few, select Asliro. Serenity was not sure if her daughter and her companions were among them for the brief time leading up to this confrontation had been frenzied and hectic. But if they could not keep Areth out of the palace, hiding would not matter.

Serenity did not hesitate. She knew where to go and did not falter. The massive doors to the throne room were open, beckoning her inside. She realized that she had known from her first step away from Luna and Artemis this was where she was meant to go.

As she entered, she paid no mind to the aesthetic presence of the throne room. Instead, as she walked down the stretch of red carpet from the doors to the throne, her eyes lit upon the figure at the far end. Ochas, she knew instinctively. It could only be him.

His back was turned toward her, facing her throne. He stood at the bottom of the dais, looking upward. His sword sheathed on his back. His hands rested on his hips; his sure-footed stance speaking of confidence. Ochas turned as she came closer.

"Am I allowed to ask why?" Serenity spoke, stopping a dozen paces from him.

"No." Ochas responded tersly, at the same moment unleashing a surge of power in a blast directed toward the queen. She raised her arms in a cross in front of her torso, a flash of a magic shield appearing as the attack hit it. Ochas began a measured walk toward her, unsheathing his sword in a fluid stroke and unleashing another attack. Serenity blocked it similarly, but found herself being pushed back from the force of it on the thick carpet.

"You're going to die here today Serenity. Hundreds of years of prosperous history and rule are going to end with you." Ochas said. His voice was somewhat odd, hushed, with a mixture of anticipation and nerves.

"You are mad Ochas. Do not think I do not see what you truly are? Obsessed with power. Bent on control for all your surroundings." Serenity responded calmly.

Before he could respond, she attacked with magic of her own. A pure, glowing beam sent forward with a push of her arm. Ochas blocked it with his sword, laughing, only to have it ricochet off. The magic crashed into one of the columns, sending chunks of marble to the floor. Only then did they fight really begin.

Ochas utilized his sword and magic in dangerous precision. Serenity's light magic worked just as well as a shield against physical attacks as it did magic, and as demonstrated, it also worked as a threatening offensive power. The battle continued with flashes of light and dark and the sound of echoed furiously in empty throne room. Fiercely, the fight between the two monarchs continued, picking up in both speed and power.

Serenity staggered under a series of particularly hard blows. She threw up her power in an attempt to shield the incoming follow up attack, but there was none. Ochas leered and encased his hand in his obsidian power, ready to freeze the queen. She would have none of that, however, she focused a swirl of light honed onto Ochas's hand. The emperor-king howled in pain, his eyes widening and cursing the queen as his power shattered. He was nonetheless quick on his guard to block off an incoming blow. He spun, dodging another attack and simultaneously carrying his momentum into a powerful horizontal slice of his own. Serenity just barely managed the dodge as the tip of the broadsword managed to catch a couple pieces of her hair.

The end came frighteningly quick. Ochas seamlessly gripped his sword in both hands and growled, an ugly sneer splitting across his face. Darkness penetrated the throne room in a burst of power. It encased his hands and curled around his sword in the space of a second. Silently, he drove the hit forward, crashing through Serenity's shield.

The sword met flesh in a sickening thud. The queen fell backwards, almost slowly, gasping as the bloody sword slid back out of her, and landed on her back in the center of the throne room. As she felt the footfalls that marked Ochas' approach, she could not help but notice her blood matched the stretch of carpet. It was a curious thing, she realized, that this minor detail seemed important as her world fell apart.

"You are right, to some extent, Serenity." Ochas remarked, once again completely unruffled. Whatever madness that spilt from him earlier was covered with an aura of confidence and competence. His silhouette all she could see as he stood against the sunlight that poured in from the upper windows. "Power is everything. Without power, there is nothing. We are nothing. This is just one more step to ensure that I will never be nothing. Do you want me to put you out of your misery?"

"You will fall Ochas." Serenity coughed. She brought a hand to her mouth and bringing it away noticed the blood there. It was strange, the pain felt dull and distant, but her body felt so heavy. "Power is insurance, but it is not everything. Because you do not…" She coughed again. "You can not know this, and it will be your downfall."

"Yet power has placed you there." He smiled, "You were found wanting and now your kingdom is mine." Ochas looked up sharply, his eyes toward the main entrance of the throne room.

Serenity's eyes widened as she felt the intrusion, the wind and the sea. Her mind suddenly left her present situation, flying back to the discovery she made just the previous night.

Ochas laughed. A deep throated sound that reverberated in Serenity's soul. She swallowed thickly only to choke on blood as he spoke. "Neptune. Uranus."

"The city is yours Ochas." Uranus growled.

"What kingdom is Revlis El'inmilnum, Serenity, when its own gods turn against it?" Ochas prodded. He smirked and nudged the queen with his foot.

She inhaled sharply at this, the feeling of pain suddenly rushing in and becoming all consuming. At the same moment, she realized it was more than just a bloody cut across her torso. Her power should have healed her instinctively, but she could feel the pulse of darkness inside her that was the mark of Ochas's magic.

"You'll die knowing that because you were found lacking, the work of your ancestors is all undone. Revlis El'inmilnum is under the Areth Empire now."

Serenity ignored his words, instead focusing upon the presence of the wind and the sea as they came closer. She felt it, and was surprise that Ochas did not – the anger and sorrow and guilt pooled in both. "Haruka, Michiru…"

She noted their surprise, the sudden seize and stiffness in their presence just behind her, but pressed on. "I am sorry." Serenity gasped out, finding it increasingly difficult to breath. "I am so sorry."

Unlike Ochas, their footfalls were hard to make out, but their presence magnified until they finally appeared in her line of vision. They were exactly how she thought they would be, personifying the wind and sea. Neptune, or Michiru as Serenity had learned, with hair and eyes to match Ym'dea Eesp was slender and beautiful. A simple gray tunic belted at the waist with dark leggings showed no signs of battle, but her eyes belied that fact. She gripped a naginata, her knuckles white in the tense grip. Uranus, Haruka as Serenity knew, with wind-swept golden hair and fierce eyes, tall and lithe, held a sword in one hand. The tip was pointed at the ground, the grip on it shaky. Her outfit, a beige shirt and dark pants, also showed no signs of wear and tear. Serenity's eyes fell upon the other sword, still sheathed on her hip. Her eyes darted back to Michiru, noting the small mirror tucked in her belt. Finally, Serenity's gaze returned to Ochas and despite everything, a dash of hope returned. He did not know what she had only learned just the past night.

"For what?" Michiru said. Her tone was not accusing, nor judging, but entirely curious.

"It is too late for apologies." Ochas interrupted lowly. "Uranus and Neptune have aligned themselves with me."

Serenity coughed again, blood exiting her lungs and leaving her lips. She was breathing heavily now, the pain blindingly intense. But she caught the expressive glance Haruka and Michiru shared behind Ochas's back.

"You're dying Serenity." Ochas said, crouching to regard her closely. He did not smile, but she found his stoicism infuriating. Before he could continue speaking, a strained cry echoed in the throne room.

"Mama!"

"Usagi!" Serenity gasped, "No!"

"Ah, here's the brat." Ochas said rising. He turned around, meeting the horrified stares of five girls as they came dashing in from a side entrance near the throne.

It was obvious they had been in a few scrapes as they stopped short Makoto's tunic was torn from a narrow miss and there was blood on the halberd she wielded. Minako sported a shallow cut on her shoulder that still sent trickles of blood down her arm and caused her to grip her longsword with just her weak arm. Ami had a deep bruise near her temple and her robes had been burnt, but she still held her long staff. Rei had shouldered her bow to keep Usagi from dashing forward. Rei's shirt appeared to be wet, whether from a water mage or otherwise, it was unknown. Usagi remained unmarked, her lightweight sword forgotten in her grip at the sight of her mother.

"Uranus, Neptune, if you please?" Ochas said, a hand gesturing toward the five gathered near the throne.

Haruka and Michiru exchanged a glance, neither moving.

"That was a command." Ochas said lowly.

At those words, they moved. It was completely unnatural. They stumbled forward a few steps, a dark energy outlining their forms. Haruka turned and gave him a deep glare that would have terrified a lesser person. Michiru's voice was a cold wave. "They are children."

"That is the heir to the Serenity line and her guardians." Ochas responded evenly, but his dark eyes gleamed. "You are sworn to me."

Haruka gave frustrated growl and threw her hand in an open palm sideswipe. Wind rushed forward in a visible attack, reaching Usagi and her guardians in a mere blink. Fortunately, they had readied themselves and Ami instantly stepped forward as she saw Haruka's movement. Twisting her staff, she froze the air molecules in front of them, giving them a shield to the fierce blow. The ice shield shattered, unable to stand up to the attack, and they were knocked backwards off their feet. However, the shield did its job and they survived what had been a deadly blow.

Minako was immediately back on her feet, Makoto and Rei a second behind her, ready to meet another attack. Ami and Usagi were a bit slower to return standing from where they had fallen against the steps of the dais. Yet neither Haruka nor Michiru pressed an attack.

"Kill them." Ochas hissed.

Again, the dark energy outlined their forms. This time, Serenity realized, it would be the death of her daughter and guardians as water whipped to life around Michiru and an unfelt wind ruffled Haruka's clothes. Michiru's face was impassive but for her eyes, expressing a distinct mixture of rage and regret. Haruka's jaw was clenched tightly and she near hissed in frustration. "As you wish."

Ignoring the pain, and the beginnings of darkness creeping at her vision, Serenity willed herself together. She pushed herself onto her elbows, wincing as it aggravated the cut. Even though she lived to see everything her ancestors had done collapse and was paying for it, her daughter would live. Ochas pivoted on his feet, feeling the swell of light magic from the fallen queen behind him. His eyes narrowed, "None of that Serenity. It's time to die."

"No." Serenity breathed before Ochas could even begin to take a step. Her voice betrayed no weakness. Instead, it filled with power, drawn from desperation, resonating with light magic and voices of queens long past. "Be gone from this place."

Haruka and Michiru turned with eyes wide in surprise as power burst forth from Serenity. Ochas' face was screwed in fury and he let out of a howl of anger. The power encompassed the three of them and just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone, taking Ochas, Haruka, and Michiru with it. Serenity collapsed as soon as they vanished, her breathing harsh and labored. The flare of power left her with virtually no energy and quickened the lifeblood pumping out of her wound.

Her daughter was safe for the moment and that was all that matter. Her vision was going blurry, and sound seemed so distant. Usagi's voice sounded as if it was in a dream. Her breath hitched at the sight of her daughter's desperate blue eyes. Serenity knew the end was nigh, yet she fought for strength to say what was needed.

"Usagi," Her voice was weak, but the fierce clutch on her hand grounded her. "Usagi, Serenity XII. Flee the city."

"Mama, no! Don't talk! I can heal you! I know I can! Just hang on…please!" Usagi's voice came clearly, snapping a moments more life into Serenity.

"Not this. It is dark magic, ancient. My time is here and you must run for now."

"Mama…" Usagi's voice was a low keen.

"Seek the Guardian of Time." Serenity coughed more blood weakly. "You cannot win as you are now, but find the Guardian of Time. Do not judge the Wind and the Sea..."

"Yes, yes. Anything you want."

"For you, not me. I know you will become a queen worthy of all people." Serenity could only whisper now, a hiss of breath that could barely be heard. "I love you."

"I know." Usagi sobbed, "I know. Gods, I know." Tears poured forth, brightening the blue eyes even more. Yet she was strangely resolute, demonstrating strength more familiar to the line of Serenity. Her grip on her mother's hand tightened, "Just rest, mama. I love you."

Her pain was gone. Her kingdom had fallen, but there was still hope. The last thing Serenity saw was the brilliant blue eyes of her daughter. Then there was nothing but her weak breathing. The only feeling remaining was the hand clutching hers. And then nothing.

**Fin Chapter**

A/N: Well…

Ahem… I hope that was not a too terribly clichéd death scene. But just about all death scenes are clichéd to begin with.

No anagrams this time. I'm sorry. I'm 90% sure there will be some next chapter though. Last chapter's Ym'dea Eesp is "my deep sea" and Hawkai is Hikawa. I swear the Hawaii-Hawkai thing was unintentional.

Pronunciation Guide:

Revlis El'inmilnum: rev-liss el-in-mil-num

Talrysc Kotyo: tal-risk co-tee-oh

Ochas: oh-chas or oh-kass

Areth: A-reth

Suwdin G'nrih: tsu-din gee-rih

Onom: oh-numm

Ym'dea Eesp: eem-dee-ah esp

Asliro: as-lee-ro

Hawkai: hall-kai

Next Chapter: Some words are exchanged between HM and Ochas. Usagi and Co. set out to find the Guardian of Time aka Setsuna aka _read the prologue again if you need to_.

Thanks for reading! All reviews are appreciated!


	6. Threshold

A/N: Big thanks as always to Soleil-Lune for her help and eternal fight to rid me of my obsessive use of the semi-colon.

Just to let you know, because I doubt my ability to properly convey this, I envision Revlis El'inmilnum as kind of a Eurasia culture; a hybrid of traditional Japanese and Western Europe.

**Revlis El'inmilnum**

_Chapter 5: Threshold_

Talrysc Kotyo had fallen. The walls were left with gaping holes at the gates from the fierce wind magic of Uranus and pools of water still littered the streets from the river manipulated by Neptune. Death was etched all around the city as bodies of citizens and soldiers alike lay ignored as the living fought on. Above it all, the black and white Arethian flag waved from the tallest point of the palace.

The lunarrise saw no change in the conditions except the cool night air gave some relief from the errant fires still burning in the city that marked its downfall. Skirmishes broke out between citizens unwilling to give up and give in to Arethian authority. The majority of Revlis forces, soldiers and Asliro alike, had been subdued. Many were dead, but pockets of them throughout the city resisted still. Nobles and other affluent and important citizens who had not immediately fled to hide in the vast, now chaotic capital or attempt escape outside its walls were rounded up and brought to the palace. Here, they would be informed to whom their allegiance was now owed and watched to make sure they did not incite immediate rebellion.

Those less affluent, who did not actively resist, hid in their homes, shops, and taverns, unwilling to walk the streets with belligerent Arethian soldiers patrolling by, ready to arrest or kill at the slightest deviant behavior. The few homeless, for poverty was rare in the capital as the royal family had done their best throughout the years to provide for the poor, cowered in allies and backstreets. Yet it mattered not, as any location seemed to prove penetrable to Arethian soldiers hunting down the nobles who had managed to flee and looking for resistance, be it from regular citizens or the few Revlis forces still free.

Deep inside the maze of shops and stalls that was the southern bazaar, there was a spice store of good reputation and well known for holding a number of otherwise relatively hard to come by spices and herbs. The owner was a genial young man who had only just recently inherited the store from his deceased father. He was affable and a bit overenthusiastic, but he knew many hidden details of Talrysc Kotyo and its citizens. His store was not large, but it was kept in good order and it had not been rare to find the elite of the capital venturing to it in the southern bazaar. It was in the backroom and apartment space of his spice store where five young women rested uneasily after arriving a few hours after the lunarrise.

"Hold still Makoto. This will only take a moment." Ami voiced gently. Her blue eyes narrowed in concentration as she cleaned a deep wound on Makoto's shoulder.

Sitting against the wall, Makoto winced in pain as Ami pressed an herbal compress against the injury. Ami murmured soothingly, taking extra care as she placed bandages on the wound. "Any closer and that could have been your neck."

"You haven't taken a moment took look at your own injuries yet." Makoto reprimanded softly, keeping her voice down. She reached out a hand and gently grazed Ami's ribcage, "I know you have at least some deep bruising right there from the way you move; not to mention your other cuts and scrapes and the bruise on your temple. Let me take a look once you've finished with me."

"But I still need to check up on Rei."

"Rei's…got more important things going on." Makoto responded, her eyes darting past Ami's shoulder to look over into the corner between spice racks at Rei and Usagi. The princess was curled on her side, her dress ripped and torn and sporting a few minor cuts and bruises. She had fallen into an uneasy sleep, burnt from shock, exhaustion, and sheer horror. Yet one hand still gripped one of Rei's tightly. Rei, still with undressed wounds and nearly destroyed clothes, stared at their interlocked hands. She paid no attention to anything else in the room, and it was obvious her mind was miles away.

Ami glanced at her two friends before turning her attention back to Makoto. Her expression troubled, she spoke softly, "Okay then. Let me just finished up here."

It only took a moment more to finish placing the bandages. She smoothed a hand over them slowly, pleased to still feel warm, toned skin of Makoto's shoulder. Bending her head, she placed the lightest of kisses against the bandages before righting up. Blushing faintly, she avoided looking at Makoto as she helped her readjust her tunic. As she began to pull away, Makoto gently snared her wrist. Ami paused and, after a moment of hesitation, met Makoto's eyes. The lightning mage rested her free hand against Ami's cheek.

"Makoto," Ami whispered shakily, leaning into the comforting hand, "I'm terrified."

"Me too." Makoto murmured. "I can't say things are going to be alright either…I just don't know…" Her voice trailed off.

Ami swallowed, a deep sorrowful empathy overcoming the fear displayed but a moment before. She knelt closer, between Makoto's bent legs and initiated a brief, but comforting kiss. They separated with a sad smile, hovering inches apart.

"But we have each other. And Minako, Rei, and Usagi. And we know what we need to do." Makoto continued. "Now, let me take a look at your ribs."

Ami glanced one final time over to Rei and Usagi before turning back to the concerned green eyes. "Alright."

Makoto pushed herself up off the wall, rising to her feet. She guided Ami into resting against the wall at the spot she just vacated with little regard to her now patched deep shoulder injury. Kneeling down, she slowly parted Ami's robe aside, voicing a casual statement, "It's a good thing Minako knew the owner here. Without his sympathy, I don't know where we could have turned to."

Ami winced as Makoto examined the bruising around her ribs, "Not to mention the herbs he keeps in stock are assuredly a help."

"But we won't be able to stay here for long…" Makoto trailed off. In her peripheral vision, she caught Minako and the shop owner talking lowly at a table near the solid backdoor. Minako's voice was laced with agitation, but otherwise she seemed to be holding herself together well despite everything. The owner seemed tense and nervous, but at the same time, eager to help. Makoto noted that he wore the strange facial glasses that Ami was prone to wear when reading for extensive periods. Makoto thought Ami looked quite adorable in them, but the owner's seemed to dominate his face, the glass flickering in the candlelight. Tending to Ami's wounds, she listened to Minako and the owner's conversation.

"We have a goal, Umino." Minako said, "We're…going to find someone."

The owner shifted closer to the table, his fists clenched at the edge. His eyes fell on Usagi's form and he was oblivious to the protective glare sent from Rei, "The princess…"

"Is under our care." Minako replied evenly.

Umino paused for a moment, sensing he had ventured into a touchy subject. "Okay…It would be best to get her out of the city anyway. As long as she is alive and not in Areth's grasp, we'll have hope. Plus, if you have a plan…"

"We have a plan." Minako answered. "Of sorts…"

"Where is this person you're looking for?"

Minako avoided looking at his eyes, "We don't know."

"What!" Umino responded, "Maybe I can help! I know a lot of people in the city!"

"Oh this person is definitely not in Talrysc Kotyo."

Umino sighed. "So you need to get out of the city. A city where Arethian soldiers are patrolling the streets and guarding the walls and manning what's left of the gates and –"

"I know!" Minako interrupted loudly. She recollected herself with a deep breath. "I know. But Umino, you know things about this city. I wouldn't have come here if I didn't know you couldn't help us."

"Minako you assume a lot." Umino said slowly.

Minako did not respond, casting her eyes downward. She missed the smile that broke out on his face.

"But as a friend, and considering your patronage over the years to the store, of course I'll help!"

Minako breathed a sigh of relief, her own face splitting into a grin. "That's the best news we've had all day."

Umino nodded his head and stood up from the table. Minako watched him as he paced from the table to the backdoor and back again. Her eyes slid over once in the silence of the backroom to rest on Rei and Usagi before turning her attention back to Umino.

A few feet away from the table, Umino paused, his hand coming up in a fist pump. "That's it!" He quickly jumped back into his seat at the table. "This is what you're going to do."

"I'm listening." Minako replied.

"Every entrance and exit is blocked and you can't risk a commotion…the river is grated on the downstream end of the city, but not on the upstream end."

"That's because it's impossible to swim upstream…" Minako said slowly. She shifted to look over to Makoto and Ami. "Unless if you have a powerful water mage to redirect the water!"

"The river was turned into overflowing, raging rapids today. How else could Areth do that, except with a master water mage?"

"It was more than a master water mage that did that today and that's part of the reason it's much too dangerous for us to be here." Minako replied, closing her eyes and reflecting on the encounter with Neptune and Uranus.

"Really?" Umino questioned. For once though, he brushed off his curiosity and continued, "Regardless, I don't think it'll be out of Ami's reach from what I've heard of her. She won't have to reverse the total flow of the river, just manipulate it a bit."

Minako nodded her head, "Right. That's the plan then. Thanks Umino."

He waved her off with bravado, "Anytime."

Ami stared at them both unbelieving, brushing aside Makoto's hands that were cleaning up a cut. "Wait a second Minako! What makes you think I can do something like that?"

Minako looked confused, "Why couldn't you?"

"There are an infinite number of reasons why!" Ami responded rapidly ticking off the reasons on her fingers. "For one, Neptune controlling the river is a little different than me. She's a water mage that's the Revlis deity of seas. I'm a water mage that's just specializes in ice. Two, the sheer natural force and volume of the river is not something I can easily deal with. Three, the length of time I'll have to manipulate such force. Four, add all five of us to the equation. Five, the-"

"Ami." Makoto interrupted, gently cupping Ami's cheeks with both hands and staring into her eyes. "You can do it."

"Makoto," Ami replied, placing her hands on Makoto's wrists. "The statistical probability of this working is close to zero. So many things could go wrong."

"We don't have any other choice." Minako answered.

"And we all know you are able to do it." Makoto replied.

Ami's eyes darted to Minako who looked so composed, so believing, and then back to Makoto who leaned back, giving Ami space. Ami closed her eyes and took a deep breath, but the only thing on her mind was Makoto with warm, sincere eyes and trusting words. Ami opened her eyes when she felt a familiar hand grab hers and she managed a weak smile. "I'll do my best."

Minako sighed in relief and Makoto smiled softly, leant in, and gave her a brief kiss. "It'll work." Makoto said as she drew back from the kiss.

Then in the short silence that followed, there was a pounding at the backdoor. The room went completely still aside from Usagi who stirred awake from her uneasy sleep. "Wha…?"

Rei quickly placed her free hand against Usagi's mouth, effectively stilling her. Usagi's wide eyes connected with Rei's cautionary gaze. Slowly, Rei removed her hand, bringing a finger to her lips to mime silence. Usagi nodded and sat up, keeping her hand in Rei's grip the entire time.

The rest of the room's occupants exchanged furtive glances as the knocking continued, this time with a bit more force. Umino stood up from the table slowly. The others followed suit, moving silently to grab weapons. Umino walked slowly to the solid door, reaching the handle, he paused to affirm the others were ready.

Minako stood at his back, her long sword posed offensively in a way that she could unleash either magic or a physical strike. Ami and Makoto stood side by side with staff and halberd ready. Finally Rei and Usagi had shifted around to a better position. Rei kept her bow put in away in favor of a gleaming dagger due to the close quarters, and stood protectively just in front of Usagi. The princess, despite every horrifying thing that had occurred to her today and the burnt-out exhaustion, had gathered herself together and gripped her sword in a basic defensive stance.

Umino licked his lips nervously and then turned the door handle. He cracked the door open slowly, peaking out into the night. An anxious whisper pierced the air, "Gurio, it's me! Open the door!"

"Naru!" Umino gasped, opening the backdoor wide, revealing four silhouettes.

A petite girl with shoulder-length reddish hair burst into the room, straight into Umino's arms. Umino hugged her fiercely, before pushing her back arm's length, "What are you doing out on the streets? It's dangerous!"

Naru looked down shyly, "I know. But considering who I found, I thought your store would be the best place to bring them." She turned back to the doorway, but the other three figures had stepped on into the room.

"Artemis!" Minako gaped.

"Minako." Artemis replied with a fleeting smile for her. He looked worse for the wear; a dark rough cloak over the remains of his garments and hiding a bloody sword hilt at his waist. His normally handsome features were withdrawn and desperate, his countenance unusually grim. "The princess?"

"Right here." Usagi answer meekly, stepping up from behind Rei. Artemis breathed a sigh of relief as Luna pushed on by him. She immediately went to Usagi, hesitating a mere second to half-curtsy before pulling the startled princess into a hug. Luna's appearance too, was battle-worn. Her dress had been torn short to not impede movement and a similar dark cloak hung from her shoulders. Her once long mane of black hair was now chopped off at her shoulders, but like Artemis, she seemed to sport no serious injuries.

Usagi felt her tears prick at the corners of her eyes and she swallowed thickly in the comforting embrace. Artemis came next to them, laying a hand on her shoulder. He spoke softly, his voice scratchy and pained, "I'm sorry."

Usagi resisted a loud sob, only nodding her head slightly against Luna's shoulder. After a moment, her whole body trembling and her heart aching, she pulled back from the embrace feeling as if she had gained a semblance of the self-control. Her eyes immediately fell on the final figure and she gasped in surprise. "Mamoru!"

Rei had stepped back and looked down to give the others some privacy, but her head jerked up sharply as she heard Usagi's audible gasp. There was just enough candlelight for Rei to see the small, but first signs of life in Usagi's eyes since her mother had fallen. She at once felt both the warm, comforting pressure of relief to see the princess at least taking a minor step of recovery and the cold hand of misery against her heart to know that she was not the one to provide that comfort.

She noticed that Mamoru stood stiffly, obviously injured. His movements were less graceful than normal as he pulled Usagi into a hug. She looked away, ashamed of her satisfaction in seeing the Asliro hurt and not wanting bare the chafing sight of the princess in someone else's arms, only to meet Minako's gaze. They stared at each other from across the room, the blonde's stare unreadable. Then Rei found herself receiving a sad smile from Minako as she turned to close the backdoor.

With four more people, it was extremely crowded in backroom. Luna, Artemis, and Mamoru tried to spare a moment to greet everyone. Umino caused more havoc as he frantically tried to make sure everyone was comfortable. He chivalrously guided Naru to a seat at the table before urging Luna and Artemis to do the same. Rushing about he upset one of the candles, nearly causing a fire to break out if it was not for Ami's quick actions.

Once that was taken care of, Ami and Makoto shifted back over to their spot at the wall and Umino ushered Mamoru into the final stool at the table. The Asliro wearily settled his weight onto the stool, Usagi hovering anxiously at his shoulder. Rei sunk back into the corner between spice racks, missing the quick glance Minako shot at her from her position at the backdoor. Umino took a moment to peak into the store front. Satisfied that all was as it should be, he returned his attention to the backroom.

Luna was the first to open serious discussion, "We need to get Usagi out of the city."

"Agreed." Minako spoke up. "Umino and I have already come up with a plan."

"But what are you going to do after that?" Artemis pressed.

"Get Usagi out of the country." Luna answered, shooting her partner a look. "As long as she is alive, Revlis El'inmilnum will not die."

"We can take her to the coast and charter the first ship we find to Hawkai. My father will grant her asylum." Rei said hesitantly.

This immediately set off a wave of conversation. All tried to keep their voices low, but as each clamored to be heard, the noise level was raised.

"No!"

Everyone completely stilled, attention turning to the princess standing with her hands pressed against the table, leveling a determined blue stare at the room's occupants. Seeing that she had their attention, Usagi continued, this time with her voice pitched just above a whisper, "My mother is dead, my country has been ripped away, and all this time leading up to it, I've been nothing but a silly girl without a care! I will not abandon my people and flee my country just to have you fight the battle in my place."

Silence filled the room at this announcement. They all avoided her gaze; all except for Rei, whose dark eyes shone a fierce mixture of pride, tenderness, and trepidation from her place in the corner. Meeting that gaze, Usagi took strength, receiving a firm nod and sliver of a smile from the fire mage. She took a deep breath and continued, "Mama gave me a task. A chance of hope. And I plan to follow through with it."

She paused again and this time she drew confidence from Ami and Makoto, and then finally Minako, receiving assurance to continue. "Luna, Artemis…what do you know about the Guardian of Time?"

Luna opened her mouth and promptly closed it. Artemis brought a hand to his jaw, rubbing it thoughtfully. Beside her, Usagi felt Mamoru shift in surprise at the mention of the deity. Across the table, Umino nearly toppled over from where he leant just behind Naru. The auburn-haired girl gaped and stuttered, "P-Pluto?"

"Princess please…" Luna pleaded after a moment, "Leave the country. Leave the rebellion to us."

"I cannot!" Usagi replied desperately. "I will not…" The room suddenly brightened, an intense white light emanating from the princess. It was warm and rejuvenating, washing away wounds and beginning the repair of the heartache on all occupants of the room. They stared at each other and the source of the magic in wonderment. Weariness and hopelessness ebbed away, replaced with energy and purpose.

"She subconsciously touched into her light magic…" Ami murmured in amazement, touching her now healed ribs.

Makoto peeled off the bandages and compress of her carefully dressed shoulder wound to find unblemished skin. "That's the first time she's ever done something like that."

The rest found themselves similarly refreshed as the light died away, leaving a wide-eyed Usagi in its wake. Recovering, she narrowed her gaze onto Luna and Artemis, "Please you two, I'll fight for my kingdom regardless. And I may not know much about it, but I have power. Where can I find the Guardian of Time?"

Artemis exchanged a glance with Luna. The dark-haired woman hesitated, but then nodded her head. Artemis spoke, "Xhyndria Forest. Deep inside the woods, where few have ever traveled, you'll find Charon. That is Pluto's home."

Usagi gave a deep sigh of relief, "Thank you. I feel better knowing I have your approval."

"Approval does not matter much in times like these…" Luna said thoughtfully, "You are the crown princess anyway. Just promise me you won't do anything too reckless."

As Usagi nodded with a tearful smile, Minako stepped forward, approaching the center of the room. Placing the point of her sword against the floor, she appeared calm, but there was an edge of anxiousness in her voice, "It's decided then. Usagi will accompany Rei, Ami, Makoto, and me to find Pluto. Truth be told, before you showed up," She gestured toward those at the table, "that is what I was planning on. We need to leave soon. That light was bound to attract unwanted attention."

"And we'll remain here in the city, organizing for an overthrow against Areth." Mamoru said with conviction, earning approving nods from both Luna and Artemis.

"You said you had a plan of getting out of the city?" Artemis questioned as everyone began standing up and preparing to go.

"Yes. We'll go upstream in the river, using Ami's power." Minako answered.

"Good idea." Luna responded, adjusting her cloak. "Umino, is there a place we can lay low?"

"Hmm…" Umino's brow furrowed in thought.

"What about Unazuki's tavern?" Naru suggested from Umino's side.

Umino smiled, "Perfect."

"Unazuki?" Mamoru said urgently. "Unazuki Furuhata?"

Naru nodded her head confusingly.

"Furuhata?" Usagi questioned, "Mamoru, isn't that Motoki's last name?"

"Yes." Mamoru closed his eyes. "That's his sister."

Usagi placed her hand on his arm, "Is Motoki okay?"

"I don't know." He whispered.

The others were beginning to gather by the backdoor, having hurried conversations, checking weapons, and mapping out their path through the city. Mamoru and Usagi remained by the table, focused upon each other.

"Mamoru," Usagi took his hands in hers, "Be safe."

The Asliro enveloped her into a hug. "We'll get your kingdom back."

"Together." Usagi whispered against him.

"Don't do anything reckless." Mamoru said, pulling her tighter against him. Usagi looked up, surprised at the intensity reflected in his eyes. Without warning, he claimed a deep kiss, and after a moment of surprise, she melted into it. It was a kiss meant to mesh souls together. Even after everything, it was not hard for Usagi to give in to that kind of passion. They parted and she stared up at him, absorbed into his soft gaze.

"Usagi, come on!" Minako's voice pierced their moment.

Usagi blushed, her attention turning toward where everyone else was gathered by the backdoor. Minako gave her an exaggerated wink and held up two fingers in the V sign she had done since childhood. The princess gave an embarrassed smile that faded as her sight landed on Rei. The fire mage's head was bowed, her hair providing a dark veil to her face. Usagi felt her heart thud painfully, though she could not figure out why, but it hurt, deeply. Yet it was a different hurt than the ache from losing her mother. Before the princess could respond, Makoto had cracked the door open. She peaked outside, checking to make sure the alleyway was immediately clear. There were no signs of Arethian soldiers, but she could hear shouting that originated from the main street of the bazaar. Returning her attention to the backroom, she found everyone waiting expectantly. "We need to go. And quickly." Makoto urged.

* * *

"Give her a proper burial, I'll give the blasted woman that much." Ochas said with a wave of his hands.

Attendants scurried to where the body still lay from the fight just hours ago. As they left the throne room with the lifeless form of Queen Serenity XI in tow, the emperor-king turned toward those with him: the most infamous and deadliest of his generals, Aliaxga, and the guardians known as Neptune and Uranus. "To save her daughter she expounded the rest of her energy. She could have directed that energy toward herself and possibly survived. Only possibly though. Ah, at least she didn't send us but right outside the walls." He remarked offhandedly, watching the servants carry the fallen queen.

Haruka and Michiru exchanged glances. Ochas had been livid at the time, at what Serenity had managed to do, at the fact that he was not there to ensure the death of the princess, at them for not following his orders without forceful coercion. For a few moments, it had been anger so intense and so permeated with power that it would have immediately felled a lesser being.

"Your Highness," The general began with a confident composure, "Any specific orders?"

Ochas turned his attention toward her. She was a tall woman, and despite being slender, her presence was dominating. Her hair, when not wrapped up behind her distinctive golden helm, fell far past her waist in the curious colors of a red and gold sunset. Though her features could be described as beautiful, there was an unpleasant set to her mouth and her eyes were a venomous red. Despite being a warrior, a general of renown, she remained unscarred. She was not a native of Areth as gossip went, nor of any of the immediate surrounding countries, but of an unknown land far to the West. Whatever her origins might have been, she was hard, dangerous, and powerful, even compared to the rest of Ochas's generals.

"Keep those that claim themselves to nobility here tonight." Ochas said after a moment, "I'll see to them tomorrow. You know what to do."

Aliaxga nodded her head and with sure measured steps, made her way to the throne room's doors. There she paused and looked over her shoulder. She smiled slightly, an upturning of her lips that held a hint of malicious satisfaction.

Ochas, Haruka, and Michiru did not notice. The emperor-king walked up the dais and turned with a bit of a flourish at the base of the throne. Dark eyes fell on the two guardians, standing together at the foot of the dais. He sneered and the familiar dark energy outlined their forms. With a flick of his wrist, both were sent to their knees.

"That's better." Ochas sighed and sat down in the throne. He leaned against its silver frame, his arms splayed out along the armrest with his fingers just reaching its ending curve. He drummed his fingers for a moment, taking in the nearly empty throne room. His roving eyes came to rest on the bowed figures of Haruka and Michiru. "So, has it changed much since you were last here?"

Neither answered, but he could feel their wills battling his. The wind was sharp in Uranus's green eyes and the sea was a steady wearing force in Neptune's blue orbs.

"I must admit, I have been nothing but impressed with either of you. You've retained your fighting skills and your power really is what legends are made of." Ochas said conversationally, but his voice grew softer and more dangerous as he continued, "Yet so is mine. Do you forget yourselves? Who was it that freed you? Who did you swear to?"

Ochas jumped to his feet and growled, "I am power, and you defy me?" He walked toward them, the carpet doing little to muffle the pounding of his boots as he stepped down the dais. Arriving at their side, he towered over them; his mere presence dominating the air. "I gave you two back everything that you lost! Most importantly, I gave you back each other! And you defy me?"

Ochas clenched his teeth, dark rage feeding his aura of power. He roared, "Look at me!"

Still outlined in dark energy, Haruka and Michiru's heads snapped up. Ochas was not pleased with what he saw, defiance, rage, and hatred… Yet the power shadowing their forms vanished, leaving them free to move. He turned his back to them, gazing at the throne of Revlis El'inmilnum as he spoke. His voice was low, almost crazed, "You are deities. Powerful immortals of this kingdom, yet you're under my control. Under my control. Along with this kingdom that none have ever been able to breach before…"

Ochas laughed. It was a harsh sound that echoed in the throne room. Haruka and Michiru rose to their feet. Their eyes met, seeking reassurance. Together, they moved to entwine their hands in a comforting grip, Haruka's right and Michiru's left. There was no fear apparent, not when they stood together.

Ochas chose that moment to compose himself, gaining control of his manic laughter. He turned around, his eyes falling onto their hands. His mouth twisted into a snarl, his voice rising as he strode forward. "I brought you two back together and I can tear you apart."

Haruka and Michiru stood their ground as he closed in, only for one of Ochas's hands to clamp itself around Haruka's neck. It was a steel grip, and Haruka found her windpipe put under immediate pressure as Ochas easily lifted her off her feet with a burst of power.

Michiru was at first just aware of Haruka's hand being ripped away from hers. It was sudden and unexpected, even for her. For a moment, she could only stare as Ochas held Haruka's life in his grip. But her surprise was only momentary as in the next instance blue eyes flashed from desperate horror to steely cold. "Haruka!"

Ochas inclined his head to Michiru who was surrounded by an aquamarine aura of power, yet unable to attack. He gave a sinister smile, just a curling of the edge of his lips. Haruka too, had thrown up her own magic, but it was also edged off by the obsidian power of the emperor-king's binding contract. Ochas chuckled, his eyes growing even darker than normal. "Deities, who I freed and under my control to do with as I please."

Ochas's free hand was at Haruka's waist, slowly slithering across her flat stomach. Then gradually, it crept upward. Haruka noticed. Her revulsion and horror of such a possibility edged out only by the fact that she could barely find her breath at this point. Her mind darted to the irony of dying for lack of air when she had been its master for all these years.

"Let go of Haruka, you vile beast." Michiru's voice was as cold as the icy depths of Ym'dea Eesp.

"Neptune, that is no way to speak to your benefactor. If not for me, you would still be locked up in that lonely little watery prison people call a shrine." Ochas replied, meeting her glare. "Remarkable. I see my death in your eyes. 'Tis almost shame you can't attack me. It would be an interesting fight."

Despite his words, his hand stilled along Haruka's ribs. He watched as Haruka's eyes darted to Michiru's. "This love," he sneered at the word, "you have for each other, is most curious. And because of it, you doomed Revlis El'inmilnum."

With that, he released Haruka, letting her drop to the ground. She landed on her feet, but quickly went to her knees, gasping in air. She looked up just in time to see Ochas reach Michiru. The Guardian of the Seas stood her ground, her aura still inflamed in aqua shades, staring a cool death at Ochas. He towered over her, but she did not back down, even as he roughly grabbed her upper arm in one hand. His other hand went to the underside of her jaw, forcing her to continue looking at him as he leant in close. He whispered, his mouth hovering near her ear, yet Haruka heard every cursed word as his voice seemed to reverberate in the empty throne room. "If either of you disobey me again, I'll fuck you till you bleed the sea, impudent wench."

He released her with a sneer, arrogantly turning and walking down the stretch of carpet to exit the throne room. He left them without regard, his superciliousness knowing no boundaries.

Michiru stared after him unmoving and impassive, while Haruka climbed to her feet, having finally caught her breath. They remained apart, an almost palatable tension rising between them.

"I won't let him touch you." Haruka said suddenly, her voice hoarse.

"It doesn't matter." Michiru replied. "Not now."

"Are you happy?" There was no vindication in Haruka's voice.

"I love you." Michiru answered. She said it so matter-of-factly, that Haruka blinked. They had not uttered those words since their reunion, but neither knew what it really meant at this point. Not with Michiru staring off into the distance with a cold façade. Not with the bruising already appearing on Haruka's neck and Michiru's jaw. Not with the queen's blood on the floor.

"Is it enough?" And not with Haruka's question.

Neither of them could answer it.

* * *

_The night was calm and clear; the air, warm and humid. It was late spring in the southern end of the peninsula, and already the summer heat could be felt. Cicadas and grasshoppers hummed their song, joined by the occasional mimicked hoot of an owl given by the sentries at their various distant outposts surrounding the large camp to signal to the guards on duty that all remained clear. Hundreds of campfires continued to crackle and flame, tended by those awake and on guard. A few of the tethered horses neighed, restless or dreaming or both, and occasionally there was an exceptionally loud snore or cough emitted from a sleeping soldier. Yet for the most part, the camp was asleep and quiet._

_In the center of the camp, protected on all sides, lay Queen Serenity's large tent. It was nondescript on the outside, only set apart from other tents by its size and the space around it. Inside, it remained just as stark for though the Queen appreciated luxury, she was just as practical. The tent double as a meeting place for her generals and prized warriors, but at this moment, Serenity entertained a solitary figure. _

_She was a stoic yet beautiful woman with long hair that appeared black in the dim light inside the tent. She was dressed plainly, but carried with her three instruments of power. She had come in the night, awakening Serenity from her sleep with just her presence. They both knew that the details of how and why this encounter came to be were unimportant, but it still shook Serenity to the core when the Guardian of Time prostrated herself before her. What did matter were the three instruments the woman laid between them: an orb, a mirror, and a sword. Serenity heeded the Guardian's words and then she was gone, leaving behind the mirror and the sword. _

_Next to this tent was a smaller one, also relatively bare. The only outside decoration consisted of two curious symbols painted next to the tent flap; one in gold, shaped by a small circle with a cross like pattern rising from its top framed by two more lines, the other in sea blue with three prongs similar to a trident. The soldiers painted them there after the last battle, adopting the ancient script of Talrysc Kotyo for the symbols of wind and sea to represent those inside. They were beginning to be thought of as more than mere human by the Revlis. Inside the tent, it was also plain; the only extra sign of comfort was the layered rugs that served as a bed for the two women within._

_Haruka hovered over Michiru, placing feather-light kisses against the water mage's collarbone and neck as she struggled to catch her breath. The airy sheet that served as a blanket during the warm night had been pushed to their feet. The dim firelight strained through the tent to provide a mellow glow that reflected the sheen of sweat on their bare skin. Michiru's right hand glided upwards to gently brush Haruka's bangs off from her forehead and then rest against her cheek. Her left arm remained wrapped around her lover's back, the hand splayed out between the blonde's shoulder blades. Haruka turned her head, kissing the palm of Michiru's hand before meeting the soft sea-blue gaze. They smiled, enjoying the moment, and needing no words to affirm what passed between them._

_Michiru's hand slid from Haruka's cheek to the back of her neck, pulling her in for a kiss. It was just a brushing of the lips as Haruka pulled back ever so slightly. A moment of eternity passed as they breathed each other in, separated by only a trace of air. Then the distance was mutually closed as they met in a blistering kiss that was all the things words tried to convey. Bodies tangled around each other, Michiru gently pushed Haruka onto her back. Her hands drifted downwards and soon it was the wind mage that was struggling to catch her breath._

_Once recovered, Haruka brought the smiling Michiru in close, threading her fingers through the aqua hair. "Tomorrow…"_

"_Tomorrow we'll finish this war and the entire peninsula will be Serenity's." Michiru answered, nestling into Haruka's embrace._

"_Be careful. I don't like being separated during a battle." Haruka said seriously._

"_Serenity's plan will work. And cause less bloodshed because of it. Besides, you don't have to worry about me, I know my way around a battlefield." Michiru finished lightly._

"_Oh I think I know that." Haruka grinned, catching Michiru's gaze. Her smile slowly left, her eyes growing distant. "Sometimes I wonder…"_

"_About what?" Michiru whispered, well aware of Haruka's sudden change of mood._

"_It's more than coincidence. This is fate writ by the gods. Serenity, us, Revlis El'inmilnum…"_

_Michiru smiled sultrily in the dark, "Hmm, you say our affair is writ by the gods?"_

"_No, our romance is written in the stars." Haruka grinned, "That sounds better than being 'writ by the gods.'"_

"_By the stars it is then." Michiru whispered, giggling. "That's so saccharine. You're such a softy."_

"_Don't change the subject." Haruka growled, brushing a lingering kiss on Michiru's forehead._

_Michiru sighed, burrowing closer into Haruka's embrace. "Fate? I can't say. Certainly, though with the way things are and the way everything is coming together. Have…" She hesitated for a moment, "Have you considered the way our power has developed?"_

_Haruka blinked in surprise, "No, not really."_

_Michiru shook her head in amused exasperation, "Haruka, why did Serenity send us away during the winter? Why have the soldiers painted those symbols on our tent? Our power had attracted attention. No one else aside from Serenity has comparable levels._

"_I know, but I admit, I never really thought about it like that. The abilities we have seem…" Haruka paused, searching for the word, "natural. I know that's only because it's our own power. But you know, now that I think about it, I realize that everyday I feel myself capable of more. The wind has become not just something that I can control, it's my familiar."_

"_It's the same, for me. The sea…Haruka, tomorrow I'm am going to turn Ym'dea Eesp against our enemy's navy. What kind of water mage is capable of that?"_

"_You're full of questions tonight."_

_Michiru reached up and ran a hand through Haruka's hair. "Rhetorical questions though."_

_Haruka smiled, "I suppose."_

"_Whatever the case, we've been granted this amazing power and we're in position to do some true good for our world. Under Serenity, we can carve out a great nation, a great civilization." Michiru's voice held no room for argument and her eyes, even in the dark, shone with certainty. _

_It was that same look that caused others to find her unapproachable and cold, but Haruka knew better. In the silence that followed, she could feel Michiru's body gradually relax against the tension that had built up with her declaration. She marveled briefly at the level of comfort and familiarity they had achieved in order for Michiru to not expect anything from her after making such a statement. _

_Haruka's thoughts rapidly tore through their conversation and the events that led them to this night – the eve of complete unification of the peninsula as Revlis El'inmilnum because there was no doubt in her mind that they would win tomorrow. It was part of the reason she had asked about fate. In the beginning, she had just been there as part of her duty, caught up in Michiru and finding Serenity to be more than deserving of her meager talents. But Michiru hinted at something, a formation of a great nation, a rewriting of history under a divine queen, that Haruka had actually increasingly thought of, but never voiced aloud._

_Michiru's breathing was growing steady, her eyes closed, yet Haruka knew she was not fully asleep, only caught in between. "I agree." She whispered, tightening her embrace around Michiru's form, "I love you."_

"_Love…too" Michiru breathed._

_Haruka smiled, and set herself to rest for the next day. It would be the beginning of history._

**Fin Chapter**

A/N: Anagram Corner!

This chapter's anagrams are:

-Xhyndria

-Aliaxga

I have faith in your abilities to solve Aliaxga. Xhyndria will probably give you a bit more trouble. It is composed of two words that are the names of something in our solar system. Good luck and thanks to Soleil-Lune for the name.

Pronunciation Guide:

Revlis El'inmilnum: rev-liss el-in-mil-num

Talrysc Kotyo: tal-risk co-tee-oh

Ochas: oh-chas or oh-kass, depending on where your accent ^^

Areth: a-reth

Suwdin G'nrih: tsu-din gee-rih

Onom: oh-numm

Ym'dea Eesp: eem-dee-ah esp

Asliro: as-lee-ro

Hawkai: hall-kai

Xhyndria: zen-dree-uh

Aliaxga: ally-axe-guh

Next Chapter: Usagi and the others try to survive. Haruka and Michiru are angry in the present and happy in the past. And we finally get to the one character who hasn't even been mentioned in this entire story.


	7. Catalyst

A/N: There's a lot of the Inner Senshi in this chapter, but it's necessary. This is still a Haruka/Michiru story above all.

Major thanks to Soleil-Lune for beta-ing, because without her, this story would just be a mess of words and my poor attempt at grammar – huh…I guess that's like any _Seabreeze_ oneshot I put ya'll through. ^_^

**Revlis El'inmilnum**

_Chapter 6: Catalyst_

Haruka was itching for a fight. To say that nothing was going as it was supposed to would be an understatement. She was beyond frustrated and it felt as if her whole being was quivering, simmering under boil. It was almost blinding. She couldn't think properly except for one horribly repetitious echoing thought: is it enough?

She wanted a fight with skin and steel. She wanted to feel the blows and expel the all-consuming itch of frustration. There was no one to take it out on. Normal Arethians kept their distance, and she dared not risk the repercussions in taking on any elite of Areth – not at this point anyway. She was left to herself. It was more than just frustration though. It was sorrow, anger, and above all regret… Yet it was much easier to simplify her feelings into frustration.

Is it enough that they just love each other? Michiru had avoided her since she had asked that question. Frankly, Haruka didn't have an answer either and that was the source of her problems.

Unable to bear a moment of stillness, Haruka was pacing the palace complex. There were certainly some differences from what she remembered, but other parts echoed with familiarity. The basic palace structure remained the same, but renovations were common and decorations had been continuously updated through the reign of eleven generations of queens. She was alone in the palace gardens now. Ochas was harassing the elite of Talrysc Kotyo, and his other officials were busy ensuring control of the city. It was a rare bit of calm, and exactly not what she wanted at the moment, especially as she gazed at the landscape.

If she closed her eyes, she could try to imagine what the vast sprawl of perfectly groomed vegetation looked like just a lunar cycle ago; so dissimilar from the fledgling garden when she had resided here, and so dissimilar from the remains that surrounded her now. Everywhere, there were marks of magic attacks. One section was completely burnt away leaving charred remains, while another section had spots that had been eviscerated by strikes from a lightning mage. Large potholes covered the ground from other stray attacks and some trees had been toppled over, helpless to the elemental destruction.

Haruka snarled, her jaw tightening and her teeth clenched together. She swung a fist downwards, channeling a rush of angry wind. The blow sent earth scattering, leaving another small crater in the ground of the gardens. It did not matter though. There would be no harmony or ease as long as Ochas remained alive.

The anger and frustration left her in a rush, taking her strength with it. Haruka went to her knees in the center of the crater with only the burning question accompanying her.

It was all wrong. Everything was wrong.

There had been only one blissful moment in which it had seemed as if everything would resolve itself to how it should be. It had been that one moment when she reunited with Michiru.

Now being by Michiru's side again had its complications. The closest thing they had had to intimacy was the moment of their reunion. It was aggravating; awkward even…That had never been the case before.

The moment Michiru had been in her arms again, the world had righted itself. Yet, the moment she let Michiru make the pact with Ochas…They had known what they were getting themselves into, but at the time it was nothing compared to being together again and spiting the traitorous kingdom that had separated them. Over five hundred years old and none the wiser for it, Haruka thought bitterly.

Regardless of the consequences, regardless of the unease, they were together again and Haruka's one shred of happiness came from that fact. Being back with Michiru, it was as if the five hundred years of separation was both painfully obvious and completely irrelevant. However, now there was an uncertainty in their skimming glances and touch. It was a complicated whirl of emotion dominated by self-blame, anger, and time. They did not have to say that they would look for any opportunity to thwart Ochas because they knew they had made a mistake.

They both knew they would have made the same choice again. But the question still remained: is it enough?

Haruka was startled from her churning circle of thoughts by a sound that she had not heard for decades. She climbed to her feet, brushing off the knees of her sand-colored pants. Her gaze traveled upward, searching for the source of the sound, knowing it could only come from one person with one particular instrument.

The sun was directly in her line of sight, but she shielded her eyes with a hand and caught the barest glimpse of sea-blue on a balcony high above. She closed her eyes and listened, absorbed in the bittersweet music. Unbeknownst, Haruka let her magic flow naturally, meeting the music in a swaying breeze that rustled around the decimated gardens.

There was a sudden jarring note that disrupted the bittersweet melody and Haruka's wind ceased. She opened her eyes and looked upwards as an angry song issued forth. The glare of the sun kept her from seeing anything, but Haruka took note of the location. Her eyes widened as she realized that she knew exactly which chambers the balcony belonged to.

She set off at a brisk walk, quickly entering the palace. She paid no mind to the Revlis servants that scurried alongside the walls, trying to avoid attention, or the Arethian soldiers who eyed her with caution. Haruka chose a flight of stairs she was familiar with, the stone darkened and smooth from centuries of use. She cut through a hallway, bypassing guestrooms, nobles' apartments, and parlors.

The hall opened up in an impressive display of architecture as windows on the left arched to give a full view of the palace gardens and, beyond that, Talrysc Kotyo. The hall ended, spilling out into a high-vaulted open space. One of the grand staircases was to her right and to her left was the private wing of the palace that had served as the royal apartments since constructed under Serenity I. Haruka, ignoring both of these, walked straight ahead, down into the opposite hallway. Windows lined the left wall for a short distance before solid stone stretched across both sides interrupted only intermittently by doors that in Haruka's time in the palace held multipurpose rooms.

This section of the palace had seen little fighting and remained intact. Ochas had yet to do anything with it, as he spent all his time either in the library or administrating. Haruka was not sure if the emperor-king of Areth ever actually slept. The hall here was thus empty and still dressed in tasteful royal splendor. It was quiet except for the angry melody that grew louder with each step Haruka took.

A mahogany door announced the dead end of this section of the palace. She had made it there quickly and with purpose, but now Haruka hesitated, her hand slowly reaching out for the iron handle.

The chambers beyond this door would be spacious and private. They would include a study and parlor with large balcony that provided a side view of the gardens and the city beyond. It would even hold a small room that provided fresh running water, designed by a water-mage architect during renovations.

It had been their apartments once.

Haruka opened the door. It creaked only slightly as she pushed it open, but she winced at the noise. It did not interrupt the melody issuing forth from the balcony and Haruka took a moment to observe the chambers.

At first she thought she had taken a happy step back into the past. The rooms remained the same as the day she left. Where her favorite couch used to lie was a new one that still looked inviting by the fireplace and a few of Michiru's paintings adorned the walls. Sunlight streamed in from windows and the doors from the parlor to the balcony were thrown open like they would have been on any typical sunny day. Obviously, the walls had been repainted, the linens replaced, the pillows fluffed, and the baseboards dusted.

On closer inspection, peering into study to her right, she noticed many of their books were missing, leaving vacant spots on the shelves. Straight ahead, through an arched frame, she could see their bed. It was now covered in nondescript gray beddings instead of the dark blue ones they had used. Her small collection of swords was gone from their place on the parlor wall as well as Michiru's prized silver-wrought fine-grain mirror. It seemed devoid of personal touches, nor were there any suggestions of use by the Revlis at the time of the Arethian invasion.

Haruka's hand lingered on some of the remaining objects, reassessing their familiarity, as she quietly went to the balcony. Michiru's back was to her, but she was clad in a simple dress, her feet bare, and her father's instrument, the violin, in her arms. The song issuing forth did not fit the sight Haruka beheld, but coincidentally or not, the anger was leaving the melody as she hovered just behind Michiru. The song tapered off in wavering, uncertain notes. Then it ended, punctuated by a shuddering sigh from the musician.

"You found the violin." Haruka said.

Michiru did not turn around, but her arms dropped, holding the violin carefully in front of her. "It was hidden away in the library."

"It still looks to be in good condition."

"Yes, thankfully. Even after all these years I cannot make one quite like my father. Of course, I was slightly lacking in materials to attempt such a feat."

Haruka smiled, "I bet it was out of tune something awful."

That earned her a small chuckle, "It was terrible. I had to restring it."

After that glimmer of easy conversation, silence fell between them. Haruka's heart pounded painfully in the quiet, accompanied only by the distant sounds of the city. The awkward moment persisted; then Haruka spoke, her voice a hoarse whisper, asking that cursed question again. "Is it enough that I love you?"

Michiru finally turned around, her sea-blue eyes pained, the knuckles white where they clutched the violin, "A betrayal, three hundred years, and a deal with the devil."

"It's true, isn't it? Three hundred bloody years…I still…I regret my choice when I see what this monster has done with our kingdom. It was ours to protect, even if we did not willingly choose to do so. The only time I don't regret that contract is when I look at you. But I haven't been able to even do that and I can't even answer my own question. Is it enough that I just love you? Does the rest of it have to matter?" Haruka spoke bitterly.

"We were foolish to think we would leave the worst of times behind after creating Revlis El'inmilnum." Michiru said suddenly. She walked forward, gently placing the violin into its ancient case on one of the balcony chairs. "Is it enough that the same kingdom we helped create locked us away?" She walked up closely to Haruka, her voice quiet and intense. "With the queen's blood staining the throne room, those threats ringing in our ears, and the princess's unbelieving eyes as the Revlis El'inmilnum came crashing down, the only thing I really know is that I love you." Her voice softened, "I wish I knew if it was enough to warrant the help we've given that monster."

"Three hundred years…" Haruka said slowly. Then she reached out, gently cupping Michiru's cheek with one hand, "Three hundred years that we can't take back. But we have now – the present, I mean. I can't answer if it's enough either, but we are still Neptune and Uranus, despite our own betrayal, and Revlis El'inmilnum needs its guardians more than ever. I remember that now when I see you."

"We are still Haruka and Michiru too." Michiru whispered, voice choked with emotion.

They came together in a sudden fervent kiss. Hands gripped clothes tightly, desperate and clumsy, unwilling to allow any space between them. Eyes closed, lips locked, bodies pressed, Haruka steered Michiru against the wall. One hand wrapped around Michiru's neck, ensuring their bruising kiss. The other hand found its way underneath the hem of Michiru's dress, hiking up the material in order to feel the smooth leg underneath. Neither were mindful of the rough stone as Haruka ground her hips against Michiru's, eliciting a gasp. Haruka caught a slender leg with one hand as it hooked around her waist and couldn't help the guttural moan that made its way out of her throat. As if that was the cue, Michiru pushed off against the wall, and guided Haruka inside their old apartments.

It didn't take long for clothes to get in the way. First went Haruka's sword and Michiru's mirror, somewhat carefully set aside as they broke away for the quickest of moments. Then Haruka was simultaneously kicking off her boots and helping to slide the dress off of Michiru, leaving her only in a shift. Haruka kissed the revealed skin, the shoulders and deeper neckline, urged on by a low moan. Michiru guided her hands to Haruka's belt, claiming another deep kiss in the process. Haruka's pants and shirt quickly followed, leaving them both only in undergarments.

They paused, fingers intertwined, but otherwise separated. Michiru's voice was a low melody, "How is it that it is only with you I feel as if I truly exist?"

Haruka kissed her slowly in response, drawing out the contact until neither could breath, much less think. Haruka did not even pause as they separated. She guided Michiru against the bed, kissing her collarbone, jaw, ear as her fingers inched upwards along Michiru's thigh, pushing up her shift. Michiru's hand remapped Haruka's abdomen and ribs against her undershirt, agonizingly skimming the underside of her breasts. Haruka groaned into Michiru's ear as the weight of a hand finally found itself against one of her breasts.

Michiru took control, reversing their positions as their lips locked again. After only a few seconds, she broke away. She stopped Haruka from following with a finger going to the blonde's lips. The other hand almost reverently found itself placed against Haruka's thudding heart. Michiru breathed shakily, her body trembling as she felt the racing heartbeat before pushing Haruka onto her back. Haruka watched with wanton eyes as Michiru lithely glided over her body, hands pinning arms underneath her. Their lips met yet again and they let lustful desire run its course, knowing so much of what was wrong was beginning to be repaired as they came together.

Afterwards they lay together, and slept, waking upon lunarrise. They were content and rekindled. Passion and determination restored to their eyes. Haruka smirked, "Not to bad for three hundred years of abstinence."

Michiru rolled over to rest on top of Haruka, eyeing her curiously, "You mean you didn't…?"

"Did you?"

They stared at each other in mock seriousness, Michiru's lips unconsciously forming a pout. Haruka raised her eyebrows, grinning, "Kinky."

"Shush, you old woman." Michiru responded, giving Haruka a quick kiss before climbing off of her and leaving the warm bed.

"Not bad for being three hundred plus, though, huh?" Haruka said, content to watch Michiru's bare backside as she retreated from the bedroom. "Where are you going?" She did not receive a reply, so with a sigh she tossed back the covers and followed Michiru back into the parlor. Haruka shivered as a cool air wafted in from the open balcony doors, teasing her skin, and with little effort, redirected the flow outward.

Michiru was holding the Deep Aqua Mirror. Her eyes glazed over as she stared into its surface. Haruka took the moment to unabashedly look over Michiru's naked form, once again letting the throbbing heat of desire refill her. Sea-blue eyes snapped back into focus and Michiru gently placed the mirror back on a table. "The princess and her companions are safe, but…"

Haruka's attention regretfully snapped to the matter at hand and she prodded Michiru gently to finish her words, "But…"

"There is something amiss within their group. I cannot quite pinpoint it, but danger is amidst them. They are safe for now though, and they are going to meet someone…Someone important."

* * *

Despite Usagi's magic, they still looked worse for the wear. Their clothes were ripped, torn, and bloodied, but without the physical wound to match, it hardly seemed a concerned.

But mentally…emotionally…

They nevertheless kept moving, numb to the world. They knew of death before; witnessed it even, if only in limited terms, but now they were intimate with its cold grasp. Their weapons tinged with blood, their magics turned against other humans in killing intent, and their clothing a physical testament of such ambitions turned on them.

Rei's once dark blue tunic was nothing but tatters off her shoulders due to a strike by a wind mage, her beige formfitting undershirt flashing along her midriff, sides, shoulders. Luckily her dark pants only revealed skin through a long gash along her lower thigh. A studded belt at her waist held a long dagger she had picked up off a fallen Asliro. Her bow was shouldered after having been used repeatedly in the past hours to feather Arethian soldiers, which had left her with an empty quiver.

Minako had been in a long dress at the time of the attack. She had since jaggedly cut it off along the knees to allow movement. A sleeve had been lost to a cut at her shoulder, but otherwise, besides some dirt and bloodstains, her dress remained somewhat intact. Clinched at her waist was the leather strap that held her prized long sword.

Makoto's own shoulder injury had left her with a green tunic that barely hung off her shoulders, but perhaps more telling was the horizontal slice just under her ribcage that she had barely dodged. One leg of her brown pants had been blackened from a fire mage, but otherwise left unmarked. She had her long halberd shouldered with a long spun cloth that tied near the top and bottom of the weapon.

Ami's scholar robe was surprisingly appropriate for a fight, both lightweight and easy to move in, but it had not held up too well. The material was torn in places, including a spot where the threads were coming undone from a grazed strike by a lightning mage. Her practical staff held a few niches from hard sword strikes, but now she was using it more as a walking stick, the bottom end of it caked in mud.

Usagi was appropriately relatively unmarked. Her cream dress sported a few ripped areas, mostly from hitting rough ground in order to dodge numerous mage attacks targeted at her. She still had her lightweight sword, strapped at her waist with a leather belt.

Despite a couple of run-ins with Arethian soldiers in the streets that provided their tattered attire, Minako and Umino's escape plan had worked. They successfully eluded capture and fled Talrysc Kotyo with no mishaps aside from an exhausted Ami who had successfully modified their escape plan through the river with the use of ice. They quickly traveled through farmland and the small townships set up outside the walls under the cover of the night and gratefully entered the thin woodland opposite of the road that lined the river. They traveled as far as they could until lunarset, then collapsing to sleep for a few peaceful hours inside the shelter of the familiar woods.

Luckily, one had always managed to stay awake to keep watch nerves still tense and not allowing for rest otherwise. As midday sunlight streamed through the trees, and with a slight bit of renewed vigor they set off, following the river north. They were despondent and melancholy, a far cry from their normal selves, especially the muted Usagi, but they were not disheartened or despairing. Traveling at a steady pace, they pressed onwards through the trees, remaining in sight of the river, but having cover from the road. They needed the shielding too, as the road was empty except for Arethian forces where before it had traversed commonly by all Revlis.

Usagi, who by all rights needed some time to properly grieve, manifested a steely determination, traveling at the front of their party with Minako who remained somber, but unfaltering. Rei followed immediately behind, her senses and intuition set on high alert. Ami was next, recovered from her exertions against the river hours before, her staff making a dull thud as it hit the ground in time with her gait. Makoto took the rearguard, her eyes covering all the immediate land and then some.

Little was said between them, due to both safety and distress. The silence was not deafening for despite everything, the woods continued to live around them. These were tame woodlands that they all knew from excursions out of Talrysc Kotyo, and the familiarity they breathed was comforting. Occasionally a deer would spot them and disappear into the trees or a red fox would slink into hiding at their presence or at especially noisy soldiers from the road. Birds and small animals rustled about in the trees, going about their daily lives, unaware that everything had changed for those walking through their home.

As the lunarrise came upon them, Makoto's eyes spotted a clearing among the normal line of trees and sky. The telltale smoke of a campfire catching the lunarlight in the dark blue sky was rising a short distance to the northwest, around what she recognized as a bend in both the road and river. Gaze narrowing briefly, she dashed ahead, pausing only momentarily to gently touch Ami's arm. Her steps were light and leaves barely made a sound as they landed underfoot. She ran unobstructed even with the shaft of her halberd hitting her calves. Bypassing Rei, she hissed Minako's name, gaining their impromptu leader's attention.

Minako halted, as well as Usagi who was beside her, both turning a curious gaze toward Makoto. Rei drew along side them, joined a moment later by Ami. Makoto kept her voice low, "There's a campfire up ahead."

"It'll be Arethian soldiers no doubt. Perhaps a search or scouting party." Rei responded uneasily. "We should be able to bypass it without problem. They'll be fire-blinded and won't be able to see beyond their campsite."

"One campfire…That'll mean there should not be that many of them." Minako said slowly.

"Stop." Rei glared. "Whatever you are thinking, it's not worth it."

"Having horses would make our journey a lot easier." Minako said adamantly.

"It's not worth the risk." Rei answered again, shooting a glance at Usagi who did not seem to be paying much attention to the argument.

"Rei, I think we should." Ami interjected suddenly. "Arethian scout parties typically have only one mage and number between five to ten units. With surprise we should easily be able to take them down. The horses would be a valuable asset. Plus we would be able to steal their food rations for tonight."

Rei turned toward Makoto, awaiting her opinion. After a moment, the lightning mage nodded. "Let's do it."

Rei fought against the frown that pulled at her lips, focusing on the princess. "Usagi? You ultimately get to decide."

The princess was looking at the ground, but her head snapped up at Rei's voice. "Horses will get us to Pluto faster. But…" She hesitated, fiddling with her hair that despite everything remained fastened in their signature buns. After a moment, she met their individual gazes, "Don't kill anyone, please."

Even now, her friends were not surprised at their princess's sentiments, but they all nodded gravely. Minako alone clapped a hand on Usagi's shoulder and smiled brightly, "Of course not." It did not even sound forced.

"Alright then," Rei sighed, "Let's go investigate."

They set off through the darkened woods, traveling more compactly, but following the same line up as before. They treaded cautiously and at a much slower pace. The light of the campfire slowly became visible, growing from a mere flicker to a burning flame. They began hearing the raucous noises of the campers, a harsh sound against the quiet of the night. As they drew parallel to the campsite, Makoto gained her friends' attention with a low whisper. "Wait here. I'm going to get a little closer."

Before any of them could argue, she had already slid away. She made no discernable sound as she approached the edge of the woods. It did not matter so much, as luckily she had both the river and the campers' racket to mask her movement. Lining her body up against one thick tree, she carefully slid around its trunk to catch a view of the camp.

As they had guessed, it was an Arethian scouting party. On the other side of the river, camped out off the road and on the grassy riverbank, eight soldiers were gathered near the large campfire. A few of them were playing a dice game, while the rest were eating. Makoto's sharp eyes bypassed them for the moment and landed on the eight horses, tethered to the makeshift tents as there were no trees near them on that side of the river. _Perfect_. She returned her attention to the soldiers, quickly picking out the necessary details.

Even from this distance, she could easily identify the mage playing at the dice game. It was a smaller, female figure distinguishable by the details of her uniform that were the slicker and lighter protective leather overcoat along with the fine sword at her side. The rest of the soldiers appeared to be of normal Arethian stock, dark haired and fair skinned. Though their now familiar rough armor was off, their jagged weapons remained at their sides. Makoto watched as one of the soldiers pumped his fist and laughed victoriously at a win in dice. The mage in response, lazily flicked her hand, sending a small stream of water into his face to cool off his ego.

Finished, Makoto edged back around the tree and crept back to her friends who were waiting anxiously. The light of campfire permeated through the trees even at this distance, giving her friends a half-shadowed look that made them easy to spot. She sidled up next to Ami, sharing a reassuring smile with her as the water mage gently grabbed her hand. She turned to the rest of her friends, "It's like we thought. Eight soldiers with eight horses tied to one of the tents. One of them is definitely a mage. The only problem is that they're on the other side of the riverbank and the river is both wide and deep here."

"You didn't see what kind of mage it was did you?" Minako asked.

"Water for sure. I saw her use it."

"We cannot have any grand pyrotechnics." Ami said softly. "If the horses are only tethered to the tents, any sort of explosion might set them off."

Makoto nodded her agreement, "Yeah, if they get startled, they could break free easily."

"Overconfident barbarians..." Rei growled. Her dark eyes narrowed, peering through the trees at the campsite. "Ami, can you douse the fire from along the edge of the woods?"

Ami eyed the fire from the distance before nodding, "Yes, it would be no problem."

"Perfect. We put it out; they'll be fire-blinded. Then you can make an ice bridge over the river to get Makoto, Minako, and me across. Stay on this bank with Usagi and assist from here until we give the clear." Rei said with little room for argument.

"Good plan," Minako said with a small grin, "Let's go."

They started to move, yet Usagi's frantic whisper pieced the air, "Wait! Let me help!"

Rei did not even hesitate, but neither did she meet Usagi's eyes. "No. Stay with Ami."

Usagi's eyes widened and her mouth opened in protest. Rei, however, was already moving ahead, taking Makoto's previous path through the trees. Makoto and Minako shot their princess an apologetic look, before following. These went unnoticed as Usagi's gaze fell only on the increasingly indiscernible figure of Rei. The flicker of firelight that penetrated through the trees did little to enhance vision beyond a few feet even when heading toward the flame. Her body jerked involuntarily as she suddenly felt another presence at her side. She relaxed having realized it was only Ami, who she had momentarily forgotten.

The water mage smiled sympathetically, "Come on Usagi."

They went after their friends, mimicking their movements and moving into the shadows as they got closer to the edge of the woods. Reaching the last of the thicker trees, they found their friends each with their backs against a trunk, looking back into the forest. Rei was placed behind one, her bow and empty quiver on the ground next to her, useless for this fight. Minako and Makoto were behind an especially wide tree together, both looking composed as they loosened their weapons. Ami and Usagi picked out their respective trees, just a few yards away, copying their companions' stance. They waited for a moment, allowing their eyes to adjust to the fuller darkness as the firelight flickered around the trees. Each of their hearts starting to pound, filled with an adrenaline that was completely dissimilar to what they had felt just the day before.

Ami closed her eyes for a moment, drawing a deep breath, before instinctively looking sideways and meeting Rei's eyes from the tree next to hers. The fire mage held up a hand with her fingers spread, somehow drawing the rest of their friends' attention and slowly put each digit down one at a time. As the last of Rei's fingers went down, Ami took a deep breath and spun around from the back of the tree, her own fingertips glistening with power. She winced against the sudden brightness of looking into a large campfire, but released a torrent of icy water.

The total darkness was sudden, as even the moon had snuck behind a cloud. Yet their plan worked perfectly, their eyes already adjusted to the night. The camp had gone into an uproar of noise at the darkness, their shouts indistinguishable, but they were trained soldiers. Through the darkness they could see them all jump to their feet and tightly grip their weapons, not bothering to relight the fire with the soaked firewood. Fortunately none seemed sure where to turn their attention to. Their voices rose, disagreeing with each other and shouting out taunts to whoever they believed had extinguished the fire.

Minako, Rei, and Makoto were safe as they broke through the trees and were left for open. The soldiers were completely fire-blinded and it was obvious that none of them knew where whatever had extinguished the fire had come from. Makoto pulled slightly ahead in the dead sprint from the edge of the woods and to the bank, Rei and Minako on her heels.

Immediately, Ami formed the ice bridge, thickening and widening it just as Makoto's feet touched its surface. Due to the width of the river and the speed of its waters, Ami found herself having to arch the bridge over the surface. Worry filled her as she knew the ice would be slick. For a moment, it looked like each of them might slip as they hit the arched ice. Arms pin wheeling as they struggled to maintain their balance and get up the slight incline. Luckily, they each had enough momentum to make it to the halfway point and the slope downward.

One foot in front of the other, and crouching slightly to keep her balance, Makoto made it across the bridge safely. As soon as her feet hit the opposite bank, she swung her halberd off over her shoulder. It had only taken a few seconds to make it across. Minako did not fare so well on the second half of the ice bridge, the slight downward incline throwing off her balance that she had previously achieved. Her feet flew out from under her, but she managed to stay on the bridge, sliding the rest of the way across. Using her momentum, she hit the solid ground with a roll, jumping to her feet and her sword in her hands almost immediately. She scowled as she heard Rei snicker as the fire mage passed, not breaking stride in the transition from ice to the ground. Rei drew the dagger at her waist, thankful that she had not wasted time learning how to properly use such a weapon in the past.

"Bloody cowards!" The nearest of the soldiers had finally spotted them as they hit the opposite bank. Only seconds had past, but the moon had emerged behind the clouds, and each moment more, the Arethians' sight would only get better as their eyes adjusted. The soldier's gaze fell on three dark forms rushing toward him and he wheeled to meet them. "They're coming from-" He did not get to finish as he was sent flying by a blast of ice, sniped expertly by Ami. The magic sent him flying to the distance back toward the road, his clothes immediately freezing stiff. He landed hard, his head striking the compact ground with force and he did not get up.

His warning was enough. His companions wheeled toward where he had shouted from originally. A feminine voice pierced the air originating from one of the soldiers, "Kai's down! They're coming from across the river."

Minako, Rei, and Makoto were already among them, and though the soldiers could now make out their dark shapes, luckily, their sight had not adjusted enough to pick up the blur of a weapon. Makoto reached the soldiers first, the shaft end of her halberd swinging up and rapping hard against the temple of the first Arethian she came across. Fluidly, she kept moving, ducking under a strike meant to lop off of her head. She spun her halberd expertly upwards from her ducked position, the shaft of it grazing the soldier's chest before it forcefully met the underside of his jaw. The Arethian's head snapped back and Makoto followed with a strike of lightning magic that sent the soldier convulsing to the ground before passing out.

Rei, just a step behind, realized there was no point in being discreet any longer the moment Makoto met the first Arethian. Sprinting toward the nearest soldier who only realized what the vague shape was once it was nearly on top of him, she swung her left hand with an open palm toward the Arethian's face. Just as she was about to land a blow, she stopped her momentum and channeled a burst of low level fire magic right in front of the soldier's face. The soldier howled and staggered under both the heat and the brightness, bending over to cover his eyes in reaction. Rei jammed the hilt of her dagger between his shoulder blades, and the soldier crumpled to the ground.

Meanwhile, Minako leapt past Makoto who was taking on another soldier, to meet the water mage among the Arethian scouting party. She arrived just in time to parry off a magic blow that was directed toward Rei by intercepting the strike with a spin of her sword, forming a momentary shield of light of magic. Using her forward momentum, she slashed her sword downwards, channeling her magic through the blade and releasing it upon the Arethian mage. Her opponent mage cried out as the elemental magic connected, unable to throw up any sort of defense against an unknown magic at that close of a range.

Minako wasted no time. She wheeled on her feet, turning to meet the blow of a large soldier that had been aimed at her unprotected back. It was a hard strike, and Minako felt her arms go numb from taking the weight of it. Before she could recover, the soldier was dispatched by Makoto's halberd coming unexpectedly from behind. Almost simultaneously, there was another howl of pain and the thud of a body as Ami was able to get a clear shot and snipe another soldier with a blast of compressed icy water.

The final Arethian was taking on Rei. He was a clumsy soldier and in a blind rage. He repeatedly kept over-extending himself in his swings, but Rei just danced around him, not bothering to land a blow. Minako and Makoto's attention inadvertently turned toward this fight, unaware of Usagi and Ami making their way over the ice bridge, and they watched with growing concern as Rei taunted the man in a cold voice far from the passionate fire magic she wielded. "Come on. Kill me. It can't be too hard after all those other unarmed civilians and children. I'm just a girl with a knife."

The soldier roared, gripping his jagged sword in both hands. He sliced vertically, putting his whole body into it. Rei merely sidestepped and as the man's momentum carried him forward, she extended a foot. The soldier tripped, falling face first onto the bank of the river. Rei watched him and as the Arethian struggled to get up, her expression changed from cold, composed anger to fervent rage. "Get up! Kill me, you bastard! Just like all the other Revlis! Kill ME!!!" Her voice rose, turning into hoarse yell. She choked, her voice burning tearfully by the last words.

"Rei, stop it!" Minako shouted. She heard the horses whine behind her, sensing the increasing magic tension in the area emanating from Rei. Makoto took half a step forward, but no more, unsure of how to proceed.

There was a fierce red aura around Rei, and it was easily starting to shed light on the immediate area, casting their surroundings in a blood red color. Most mages, when accessing high levels of power or attempting such a feat, had auras form around them in the color vein of their magic. This was a harsher aura than Rei had ever shown before even if previous examples were limited.

Perhaps the soldier was courageous, perhaps stupid, or perhaps he just though it was the only thing he could do in the situation, but he rolled over, mud caking his body, and lunged desperately with his sword. Rei dodged with ease, her face blank except for the two tear tracks on her cheeks. "Bloody, selfish bastard!" She punctuated her choked words with a stomp on his sword hand.

Minako swore she heard the bones of the soldier's hand crack and shatter as he howled. Unable to take it anymore and barely aware of her own tears, Minako started forward, just as Rei landed a hard kick against the soldier's ribs.

"Why?" The fire mage sobbed. "Why!?" Rei tried to land another hit at the now defenseless Arethian, but she found herself restrained. She was suddenly aware of arms around her, trying to pull her back, but she fought on, struggling to break free. The only thing she knew at the moment was that mercilessly beating the soldier felt good. There was a flash of blond hair in her peripheral vision and a familiar voice pleading with her, and she instinctively knew it was Minako. Rei didn't stop struggling though. All that mattered was making the Arethians pay, and this was a good place to start. She was oblivious to the blood red aura surrounding her grow, raw energy twisted in rage. She hardly noticed Minako's own magic and aura, trying to simultaneously soothe and hold off her own…

In her fury, she sent an elbow back, digging it into Minako's ribs. The blonde released her hold, doubling over in reflex as the air was knocked out of her. Rei could care less. In her vision, all she saw was blood. Blood of a kingdom and a country that had welcomed and sheltered her. Blood of a dead queen, of children, men, and women. Blood of a kingdom that had been peaceful for hundreds of years... It did not matter that she was a daughter of Hawkai. She had been a Revlis since she had first laid eyes on Usagi.

"Rei, please…Stop!"

It was Usagi now. Usagi with sad and desperate blue eyes. She stood between Rei and the now unconscious Arethian. Rei felt as if the world suddenly froze and everything came rushing back into focus. Her heart was pounding, her vision was in red, her throat was burning, and her body felt like it was on fire. Usagi was an oasis.

"I know Rei, but stop. Not like this." The princess whispered.

Rei fell to her knees and cried. Her sobs only grew louder as she felt Usagi's arms wrap around her.

---

Though they still avoided the road for obvious reasons, traveling was much easier with the horses. Making good time, they reached the town of Bunaju just before lunarrise the next day. They did not know what to expect at the town, but feared the worst, which only served to feed their already low morale.

Even though they had success with getting the horses, things seemed to spiral out from under them. They had each taken a horse and chased the remaining three off into the night, leaving the camp in disarray with a couple of the Arethians beginning to stir. It was then that things quickly began to turn against them. They had immediately pushed their horses hard despite the night and staying off road.

After an hour of this, Ami's horse stumbled. One of its hoofs unfortunately catching a thick tree root right as there was a sudden dip in the ground. Ami went flying off the horse as its front legs crumpled awkwardly. Makoto, in the front of the group, feared the worst as she heard Ami's short yelp of surprise and turned around and see both the water mage and the horse on the ground. Luckily, Ami was fine except for a bruise, but the horse had broken both its front legs. Makoto was the one to give it the grisly mercy kill and Ami naturally doubled up on her horse.

They stuck to a slower pace after this, and went just far enough to get a good distance away from the carcass before stopping to camp for the remainder of the night. Where they had been in silent camaraderie hours before, now the atmosphere was strained among them. Makoto and Ami could only look at each other, while the rest became reclusive with the scars and scares of the past days hanging over them. It had never been an issue before, but now it only made the group dynamics worse. Rei was an impassive statue, her reactions limited to a blank stare or head nod. Though no one else noticed, there was still a slight trembling to her hands. Usagi was beside herself; her mind in turmoil, wide blue eyes dancing across each of her friends. Minako refused to even look at Rei.

They pressed hard again at lunarset. The horses were well rested and they did not have to fear unseen obstructions. The day passed without much incident and as a new lunarrise came upon them, they were insight of the walls of the city of Bunaju. With minimal exchange they decided to rest there for the night. They needed more food as the saddlebags of the horses held only a little dried meat and they had not wasted time looting the camp, only stealing a few cloaks to help hide and cover their tattered clothes. It was blatant that they needed new garments. Minako and Usagi for one could not continue to travel in the remnants of what were once expensive dresses without drawing unnecessary attention. Finally, the lure of an inn momentarily outweighed concern over Arethian forces, especially considering that for most of their lives each was used to sleeping in a soft bed and not the hard ground.

As such, they hesitantly decided to enter the town teeming with soldiers from Areth and hoped that no word had been put out about Usagi's escape from the capital. They left their horses tied up in the woods and hoped that no others would come across them. With regret, they left their weapons, knowing they would just draw the attention they could not afford. Rei held onto her dagger, tucking it inside her cloak, while Ami kept her staff as it was commonplace enough. A few muttered words from Minako and they all also agreed to draw the hoods of their cloaks up. Five Revlis in non-descript cloaks would draw much less attention than five armed young women on horses storming into Bunaju.

At the edge of the woods, they peered down the path leading to the gates. It would seem that nothing had changed. The stone walls still stood with just a couple of buildings rising above its height. All seemed normal, except for the black and white flag of Areth flying from the top of the gatehouse and the glint of metal that reflected off the Arethian soldiers standing guard at the entrance.

Nothing was said between them as they paused at the edge of the woods, anxiously looking at Bunaju. Then Minako collected herself with a deep breath, pulled the hood of her stolen cloak over her head, and murmured, "Let's go."

The others followed behind her, all unsure of what to expect and all a little lost in their own thoughts. And still, aside from Ami and Makoto, none of them really knew how to regard each other right now.

Minako led, Usagi just behind her, followed by Makoto and Ami, and then Rei brought up the rear. As they reached the gate of Bunaju, there were luckily a few other Revlis citizens crowding the entrance, all trying to enter the town before lunarrise. This boded well for them; it would be that much easier to get inside and it also meant there was semblance of normalcy inside the city.

They were last among the group of Revlis trying to enter Bunaju. Minako's found herself holding her breath, discreetly grabbing Usagi's wrist in a deceptively steel grip. She kept her head down, suddenly aware of all the things that could go wrong in this moment. Her mind flashed back to the night they fled Talrysc Kotyo – was that only two nights ago? – and the distant screams of men and women tortured by these same soldiers.

They went through without incident. Minako looked up from the ground only briefly, and her eyes met one of the guards. Fortunately all he did was give a predatory leer. Then they were through, all five of them.

Minako immediately stole to the side, pressing her back against the stone wall, and feeling her heart pounding. The others joined her and as they gazed at the plaza that made up the entrance to the city. Before this plaza had functioned as a small market with street performances and small food stands, it was now bereft of all but its foundations. Houses and shops that lined the plaza were shut up tight and the people that were in the street were hurrying along. A number of spots on the light gray cobblestone ground were dyed in dark colors, something none of them could quite remember. A squad of Arethian soldiers appeared out of one street, but they continued to march along, paying no mind to the people.

Makoto turned to Minako, "Give me your earring."

Just like that the strained atmosphere between them all broke. They had gotten inside, they would be able to get a full meal, and they would be able to sleep comfortably that night. But a thick, underlying tension remained in the lack of eye contact and the shifting stances. A tension they still could not explain, but one none of them wanted to touch.

Minako's hand went to the miraculously remaining earring, dangling from her left ear. "But…But this is one of my favorites."

"Minako." Makoto nearly growled, holding out a hand.

"Okay, okay." Minako replied, taking out her earring. "I was just trying to say that I'm a little attached to it."

"Didn't Rei get you these for your birthday last year?" Makoto said as Minako gingerly placed the earring in her gloved palm.

"Yeah." Minako said, not meeting Makoto's eyes. "She got them from Hawkai, so the opal and gold work should give us enough funds to last a lunar cycle here even after buying what we need today."

Minako jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder and presence at her side. Her eyes briefly passed over Rei's dark gaze, "I'll get you some just like those for your next birthday." The 'if we get through this' was not said, but each felt the words hang in the air.

Makoto closed her hand into a fist. "Right. Now we just need to find the right type of person to sell this too…"

"Let's head toward the town center. Hopefully the market should still be there as well as other shops. We can see what we find when we get there." Ami said.

Any further discussion was interrupted by a loud gurgling sound, emitting from Usagi's stomach. The princess blushed, glancing down. "Can we maybe get something to eat too?"

Rei scowled good-naturedly, while the others giggled with a slight edge of hysteria. "Come on then buns-head. Let's see if we can't find you something to eat." Even Rei's normally natural teasing seemed forced.

They walked along the perimeter of the plaza, heading down the main cobblestone road toward the town center. Each was familiar with the layout of Bunaju. They had been there a number of times before as it served both as a convenient stop along the road heading north out of Talrysc Kotyo and as a good place to get away from the capital for a few days. Minako was especially familiar with the city as her family had once held a house there. However, they had since sold it as she was the only one whoever actually used it, her parents preferring other cities as getaways. She had been known to journey to Bunaju alone in order to get away from her family from time to time when she was younger.

The sky was stuck in twilight at the moment, the lunarrise not yet complete. A Revlis fire mage scuttled around, lighting lamps as quickly as possible. It would normally be a busy time of day with people still running errands or heading home or going to a tavern. Last time they were here, children ran about in the street, playing games and generally getting underfoot. Just like the entrance plaza, the main road was bereft of its normal activity. Ami's acute eyes took in every detail, and she spotted more of the dark stained ground underfoot. Her step hesitated and as her foot hit the cobblestone, she suddenly realized. "Blood…" She whispered.

Makoto, ever aware of Ami, turned toward the water mage, "What was that?"

"Blood." Ami swallowed, "That's what has been bothering me – the stains; they're bloodstains."

Makoto met Ami's stare, her mind unwilling to process it, but knowing it was true. "Damn them." She hissed under breath.

Ami's hand found its way into Makoto's grip and with a gentle squeeze they continued to follow their companions. It was only a few minutes later when they arrived at the town center. All were relieved to see the market still there, though somewhat downscaled from before, along with open shops lining the street. Makoto quickly located a goldsmith's shop and with Ami in tow, went to sell Minako's earring, leaving the others behind to wait for them.

Minako, Rei, and Usagi watched Makoto and Ami disappear inside the shop. The strained atmosphere reemerged as quickly as it had left and an awkward silence permeated the air, despite the restless noise of the market around them.

Minako, unable to stand the silence for more than a heartbeat, quickly latched onto her first thought. "We should stay at the Silver Wake Inn for the night. They're respectable enough without charging too horrendous of a price. Plus they have decent food. Last time I went, I had a delicious vegetable stew. Well, you were all there too. We should be able to get a decent price on a double room for ourselves." Minako would have continued rambling, despite the uncomfortable air around them. Even Usagi was looking increasingly edgy, and would have gotten worse if a shriek had not interrupted.

A few stalls down from where they were standing, three Arethian soldiers in full uniform surrounded a girl, just a little younger than their own age, who was tending to one of the stalls. One of the soldiers gripped the girl's wrist and tried to catch her other flailing arm as she struggled, while the others laughed. The Arethian's voices were boisterous and grating, carrying over the noise of the market. The rest of Revlis in the vicinity all looked the other way as the soldier pulled the girl into a rough one armed embrace, pinning her arms. Still she thrashed about, trying to get away. The soldier slapped her hard, much to the catcalls of his companions and the girl was stunned for a moment.

It was then that a boy, about the same age as the girl, rushed in, yelling obscenities at the soldiers. Another one of the soldiers grabbed him just as he was about to make a leap at the Arethian holding the girl. They laughed even louder as the boy struggled and the girl with wide eyes could only watch fearfully as the soldier holding him made some lewd comment.

Rei and Usagi were staring aghast at the happenings as the three soldiers manhandled the girl and boy with nobody stepping in to prevent them from doing so. It was really in this moment that it came crashing in to them that Areth controlled Bunaju. That Areth controlled Revlis El'inmilnum.

Minako stared, until finally her body caught up with her mind in reckless abandon. "Somebody's got to stop them!"

Rei, realizing what Minako was about to do, made a lunge for her wrist, but she was already gone.

Minako dashed toward the three soldiers, the hood of her cloak coming down in the process, and fury ringing in her voice. "Stop! Leave them alone!"

The Arethian holding the girl smirked and tossed a glance at his companions, "Looks like we got another feisty one."

This mistake allowed Minako to land the heel of her palm against his nose immediately breaking it. The soldier stumbled, releasing the girl as his hands went to cover his bloody nose. The other Arethians were shocked, but only for a moment. The one holding the boy shoved him away, at the same time drawing his sword. The other one immediately charged Minako, wielding a twibill. She distantly heard Rei and Usagi calling out to her frantically as she dodged a swing from the wicked looking axe.

Minako suddenly realized the position she had put herself in. She had no weapons aside from her fists. She could not use her light magic because the distinct power of the House of Serenity would draw all sorts of the wrong attention onto them, which could not be risked. As this knowledge sunk in, she froze for the briefest of moments, but it was enough.

She became aware of a heavy pressure between her ribcage. Looking down, she was surprised to see the gleaming metal of a sword blade, quickly tainted by crimson. Then the metal left and she was temporary relieved as the suffocating pressure disappeared, a shower of blood following it. She tried to move, but instead she found herself collapsing. Then the pain set in. It was all encompassing and unimaginable. She somehow curled up, her hands going to the gaping wound. She coughed weakly; faintly aware of the bloody spittle passing her lips. Distantly Minako heard a horrified scream. _Usagi_. She tried to say her cousin's name, tried to tell her not to worry. Then there was an unbridled shout of rage and Minako lips curled upward ever so slightly; _Rei did care._

Rei leapt over Minako's body, sending a silent plea as she drew the long dagger she had kept hidden beneath her cloak. Usagi, just behind her, placed herself between Minako and the soldiers. Somehow the hood of her cloak remained up, shadowing her face in the twilight, though it was unlikely these Arethians would know the face of the Revlis princess. Usagi's stance betrayed her horror, her whole body trembling. Dread plagued her and, mired in uncertainty, she could only send furtive glances down to Minako, bleeding at her feet. Rei brandished her dagger and once again surrounded by that abhorrently mutated fiery aura. _Minako is dying_… Usagi was aware of this. Just as she knew that Rei was on the edge of burning all of Bunaju to the ground. The reality of the situation sent her mind racing, her body freezing, and she was caught in between, unable to take action.

The three soldiers were obviously bare of any magical power, but it seemed as though they sensed something off about the girl with the darkly ablaze eyes or caught a hint of the inflamed aura. One spat at Rei's feet, yet he backed off, the other two joining him, the one with the broken nose whimpering in pain. They sneered in retreat, but quickly disappeared into the market.

Rei stared after them, her body quivering with barely suppressed rage. Her focus gradually left the point in which they disappeared, and she became aware of the world around them again. The merchants cowered in their stalls and shoppers kept their distance, fearfully eyeing her. Even normal Revlis were much more inclined to magic then Arethians. However, Rei was still able to pick up Usagi's voice, though she could not decipher her words. Then the whole reason for the rage came rushing back at her. "Minako!"

Rei whirled to face her companions, horrified at what she found. _Blood…there was so much blood_…Usagi was frantic, trying to do something about the wound, and vainly trying to comfort Minako. Rei fell to her knees next to her fallen friend, instinctively knowing that it was far too late for normal medicine.

_But maybe…_

"Usagi!" Rei grabbed the princess's shoulders, forcing her to look at her. "Usagi! Use your magic! The power of your ancestors! Minako's magic and your mother's!"

Usagi gaped at Rei, "But I've never used it before!"

"Yes you have! Back at Umino's! You can do it again! Heal Minako! I know you can." Rei said urgently.

Usagi swallowed, her eyes wide and disbelieving, but only for a moment. Her gaze sharpened and focused, unyielding determination settling in. "Right! For Minako…" She looked down at Minako's body with its mortal wound, and then closed her eyes. Rei watched, tensing with each heartbeat that passed.

Minako's breathing was almost non-existent, the blood just trickling out of her wound. It was now or never. If she could not find the magic in time…But Rei believed in her. Usagi would find a way, any moment now.

A flutter of movement, and suddenly there was a new presence by Rei's side. Usagi's eyes snapped open at this intrusion. A thick, tangible dismay and frightening realization struck them both as Usagi and Rei stared at each other. That was it. That was Minako's only chance and it had been lost thanks to this stranger. Neither could find anger, just…anguish. As one they turned their gaze to encompass Minako and the new presence, unshed tears of grief and frustration stinging both their eyes. Rei found her voiced choked, but Usagi let out a low moan, "Minako…"

It did not set in immediately, and once it did disbelief etched across both their faces along with a faint sheen of hope.

The stranger was petite girl, probably a few years younger then them. Her skin was pale, almost unnaturally so, that was complimented by shoulder-length dark hair and a pretty face with luminous purple eyes that were set with concentration. She wore the simple, thin clothing of the working class of Revlis. Hers was a dress and leggings in black and dark gray. What drew Rei and Usagi's attention was her alabaster hands, posed over Minako and glowing with a deep purple energy that neither recognized.

They watched with palatable relief as Minako's wound closed and color found its way back into her face. Still the girl continued. They could feel the unfamiliar magic that was emanating from deep within her being and outwardly channeled through her hands until Minako's eyes fluttered open and she coughed weakly.

Satisfied the girl sighed and leaned back, a trace of a smile on her face. Simultaneously, a bawling Usagi nearly jumped on the completely healed Minako who grunted at the impact. Rei closed her eyes, a few of her own tears trickling down her cheeks. She collected herself and let out a deep breath. When she opened them, a smile grew as she watched a healthy Minako trying to fend off the princess. _Crisis over_.

Rei just then felt that the presence of their two absent companions had returned. Makoto and Ami stood a few feet a way, worry easing off their expressions as they relaxed into a comforting one arm embrace staring at Minako. Rei was pleased to see that Makoto held a fat leather purse in one hand, and started to call out to the two. However, she caught Ami's curious gaze landing on the strange girl and could almost hear the rapid thoughts and questions leveled in that stare. She was starting to get to her feet but Rei quickly swiveled to the girl, _this healer_, before she could take off. She gently placed a hand on her shoulder to capture her attention.

The girl started, luminous eyes turning toward Rei. The fire mage was surprised to see wariness there and hesitation, especially after the act she had performed for them. Her intuition went off like a ringing in her ears and she knew then, what she needed to do. Soldiering past what was her normally automatic cautiousness to strangers, she spoke warmly, "Thank you." She paused, giving weight to her words. "Thank you. I don't know how, but you have done something truly remarkable for us. Thank you."

The girl blushed, a pale rosy color rising to her cheeks, and she looked down shyly, now avoiding Rei's gaze, "You're welcome."

The girl got to her feet, but Rei followed. "Please…Is there something, _anything_ we can do for you?"

The stranger shook her head, surprise in her eyes. Rei quickly concluded that the girl was not used to such kindness. Those with differences did always seem to breed fear in others, Rei reflected. And the girl's magic felt so foreign and unfamiliar to all the different types of power she had felt. It was unmistakably dark, Rei could tell, but at the same time it was not dark like that feeling she received from Ochas. She wasn't quite sure how to classify it.

The girl hesitated, and Rei took her chance. "At least tell me your name." She asked. She had to get this stranger talking, her intuition continuing to scream at her.

The girl wavered, almost looking like she was going to run off. Her eyes went to Minako, now being embraced and helped to her feet by Makoto and Ami, then to Usagi who was still crying, but with a wide smile on her face. Finally, her gaze returned to Rei and she spoke in a soft, uncertain voice, "Hotaru."

* * *

"_I still can't believe Serenity actually married that guy!" Haruka exclaimed, throwing down the letter. "He was a stupid brute. An uncivilized, arrogant loaf!"_

"_My, my. Someone is feeling protective. I thought he was delightful enough. Certainly different, but very intelligent." Michiru responded. She was seated on Haruka's favorite couch, the one next to the fireplace, which was stoked high to ward off the winter chill, reading the newest of Serenity's letters to them._

"_We should never have let her go alone." Haruka growled._

"_Haruka, love, she's hardly alone. The Asliro are with her as well as about two score worth of officials. Not to mention a few lords and their own retinues." Michiru said reasonably, her attention momentarily turned away from Serenity's letter._

"_She married him!"_

_Michiru sighed, "It was bound to happen someday. Without any other surviving family members, she needs an heir. I'd rather it be him." She glanced up at Haruka, a playful gleam in her eye, "You just don't like him because he beat you when you sparred against him."_

_Haruka glared, "I tripped over a rock."_

_They had been through this conversation many times since they had received the first of Serenity's letters to them a lunar cycle after she left. The queen had been gone for a total of four lunar cycles at this point in her first extended trip away from the Talrysc Kotyo. Michiru was trying to read the fifth of Serenity's letters, dated to about half a lunar cycle ago, while Haruka waited anxiously for news of their queen. Haurka nearly went into conniptions when the first letter announced that Serenity had married, and now every time they received a new letter, they had this same conversation._

_The queen's new husband was a foreign dignitary from across the eastern expanse of Ym'dea Eesp. He had spent five lunar cycles at the palace with his small retinue in order to establish relations, especially a trade network, with the fledgling kingdom. He had been a striking man, with brown hair and penetrating golden eyes. Tall and well-built, he had towered over Haruka. There had been a certain agelessness about him, that Michiru had noted matched Serenity. He had seemed affable and relaxed, never out of his element despite being in a foreign country. He and Serenity had gotten along remarkably well, to the point that Haruka had felt a little spurned. After five lunar cycles, he had invited the queen to his homeland to finish formalizing relations, and as it turned out, they formalized a different sort of relations too. _

_Michiru was happy for her queen. She was a little wary of the dignitary in the beginning to be sure, but her perception had since changed. Especially as her curious mirror, the Deep Aqua Mirror, as she found it was called, revealed no threats._

_Though Haruka was protective, and Michiru certainly thought that no man or woman would ever deserve Serenity's full love, he was a close as they got to a perfect match. He held no magic, but his swordsmanship was exemplary. He has been the only one to ever defeat Haruka in a sparring match, tripping over a rock or no. Michiru found he was intelligent and creative too. He introduced her to a new instrument, one that was a little bigger than a violin and played on its side, which he called a guitar. As for his faults, he could be infuriatingly lackadaisical and frustratingly whimsical. _

_Nevertheless, he was the best match possible for their Queen. Especially considering that he held no blood kin that would ever lay a claim on the Revlis throne. Now that they were married, domestic fears could be put aside about the lack of an heir._

_That didn't stop Haruka from protesting once she read through Serenity's letter to them both._

"_Next thing you know, she'll be pregnant." Haruka mumbled._

"_That is kind of the point. Revlis El'inmilnum does need an heir and if she has found happiness along with it, so much the better." Michiru's eyes skimmed over the letter. "Too late." Michiru smiled, "She's pregnant."_

"_What!?" Haruka choked._

"_Two lunar cycles into the pregnancy already…That was fast." Michiru said, still smiling._

"_What!?"_

_As a wide-eyed Haruka struggled to deal with the news, Michiru turned serious, her own gaze narrowing on the letter, "She says she will return in five lunar cycles."_

_Haruka seemed to miss the weight Michiru put behind her words, instead she mumbled to herself, "Pregnant…I'm going to kill that bastard."_

"_Haruka, focus, please. Besides you can't kill him, he's her husband."_

_Haruka sighed and collapsed onto the couch with Michiru. She immediately got comfortable, stretching out her legs and laying her head in Michiru's lap. Michiru waited until Haruka was content. One of her hands went to gently play with the blonde hair while the other still clutched the letter. Michiru let Haruka catch the former hand in both of her own, placing a kiss against it. "Now what were you saying about five lunar cycles?"_

_Michiru was mildly surprised Haruka had heard, much less processed her words. "She says she wants to be home for the birth and she'll have to wait until winter clears to safely cross eastern Ym'dea Eesp. Five lunar cycles, she says. She'll be seven lunar cycles along by then. That's much too late in pregnancy to be traveling such a distance."_

"_As much as I hate to admit it, she should stay there and have the child." Haruka agreed._

_Michiru looked into the fire. "She does like to defy the odds."_

"_I don't like it. And I don't like him either." Haruka pouted._

_Michiru giggled, an endearing sound issuing from the back of her throat that made Haruka smile. "He'll take care of her."_

_They went silent, both staring absently into the flame and enjoying each other's presence. Michiru set the letter aside, knowing Haruka would probably want to read it herself later. _

"_Do you ever think about having children?" Haruka asked suddenly_

_Michiru could not control the rare expression of surprise that flashed across her face, but knew Haruka probably felt her astonishment more than saw it. She did not respond immediately, but Haruka waited patiently. "It has crossed my mind." Michiru admitted eventually._

"_I'm sorry I can't give you any." Haruka murmured._

"_Maybe I'm sorry that I can't give _you_ any." Michiru responded, a glimmer of amusement in her eyes._

_Haruka blinked, once, twice, and then grinned. "Perhaps one day…"_

"_Perhaps." Michiru echoed._

_Haruka sat up, turning slightly to give Michiru a kiss, bracing her arms on the couch. Then she stood, and held out her hand, adding a smoldering look, "Come to bed with me."_

_Michiru took the offered hand, allowing Haruka to pull her to her feet, but she did not give the wind mage a chance to lead. Instead, she placed her hands on Haruka's shoulders and, none to gently, pushed her back down onto the couch. Then as Haruka stared, Michiru, with sensual, graceful motion, straddled her. She leaned in, aqua hair framing her face, and whispered into her ear, "How about I bring the bed to you?"_

**F****in Chapter**

A/N: Hehe, I was _this_ close to writing smut. Twice.

I'm curious, my dear readers, how do you think the Minako/Rei/Usagi/Mamoru stuff is going to work out?

Anagram corner!

Last chapter's anagrams were Aliaxga and Xhyndria, which is Galaxia and the combined names for the moons of Pluto, Nix and Hydra, respectively.

This chapter's anagram is (I think it's just the one):

-Bunaju

No hints for this one. Good luck!

Pronunciation Guide:

Aliaxga: ally-axe-guh

Areth: eh-reth

Asliro: as-lee-row

Bunaju: boo-nah-jew

Hawkai: hall-kai

Ochas: oh-chas or oh-kass, depending on accent

Onom: oh-numm

Revlis El'inmilnum: rev-liss el-in-mil-num

Suwdin G'nrih: tsu-den gee-rih

Talrysc Kotyo: tal-risk co-tee-oh

Xhyndria: zen-dree-uh

Ym'dea Eesp: eem-dee-ah esp

Next chapter: Finally, whatever happened to Haruka and Michiru all those years ago will be spelled out bluntly.


	8. Time

A/N: Happy Holidays everyone! First of all, my apologies for long time between chapters. Second of all, I did some edits and minor changes on the previous chapters. Chapter 5 and 6 in particular had some more dialogue added between Haruka and Michiru.

A note of warning, the chapter is unbeta-read.

**Revlis El'inmilnum**

_Chapter 7: Time_

In all the romantic adventure books she had ever read growing up (her favorites always included colorful pictures) the journey had always been the meat of the tale. It was where the characters encountered harrowing challenges and were pushed to the limit. It was where somebody had to be saved from certain doom, somebody made a decision they would regret, and somebody discovered a dark secret. That being said, Usagi was actually quite happy that their three week journey traveling northeast from Bunaju did not read like one of her books. They had a couple of close calls with Arethian soldiers in a few villages the past through, but for the most part, staying away from the main roads had let them stay away from any possible unwanted encounters.

That is not to say that everything was easy going either.

Traveling is rough, Usagi concluded, especially considering that they were avoiding major roads, which slowed their progress and kept them away from most towns and villages. They did manage to get proper traveling clothes; thick, well-woven tunics and leggings, but it didn't solve all their comforts. Most mornings she woke to cold, unforgiving ground and had to force her stiff body into moving. If they were lucky, they had food. If not, they could only hope they would encounter a village that day or Makoto or Rei would be able to hunt down a meal. Though Usagi would almost rather go hungry then eat rabbit. She had always hated eating rabbit.

Aside from the practical reasons that made the journey difficult, Usagi remained haunted by her mother's final moments. It replayed over and over in her head, and she was sick to find that it was hard to move past her mother's death to better memories. She continuously relived it, and each time she saw the light fade from her mother's eyes felt worse than the one before.

Even still, her mother's advice kept resurfacing in her thoughts just outside of her death: 'You cannot win as you are now, but find the Guardian of Time. Do not judge the Wind and the Sea...'

The Wind and the Sea…Uranus and Neptune. They were supposed to be deities, guardians of the kingdom, yet they stood by Ochas's side. They had attacked the city, the very center of Revlis El'inmilnum and her kingdom. They had attacked her friends, people she would give her life for. But she was not blind in seeing that something was strange in the way they had acted. Even she could tell that the situation was not as easy as black and white and her mother's words echoed in her thoughts…And everything seemed to come back to her mother. Prone on the floor of the throne room, blood as red as the carpet, breath shallow and slow…

She would wake at night sweating, knowing she had just dreamed her mother's death only to play through the memory again. And she would feel obsidian eyes on her, the dark power intangible, but nonetheless strangling.

It was the worst when none of her companions were distracting her, even if it was one of the many verbal clashes, and Usagi inherently felt that they were the only thing keeping her together right now. She would be utterly lost without them, drowning in the deaths of innocents, citizens, her kingdom, and her mother.

However, Usagi knew that underneath the casual conversation and typical teasing, everything was still not normal among her friends right now either, though she was at loss in explaining exactly what was amiss. They had talked circles into their current situation, never getting anywhere with theories whether the subject was Ochas's motives or Arethian military power. The worst was when they got into Uranus and Neptune, the traitorous deities of the kingdom, which perpetually disintegrated into a nonsensical shouting match. While the Arethian invasion might have instigated the abnormalities in their interactions, it was not perpetuating it. That was collectively all their own doing, and Usagi did not know how to eradicate it. Thankfully, the situation was somewhat eased by their new traveling companion...

Usagi jumped as she felt a poke in her ribs. "Ouch!"

Minako smiled and took the horse's reins from her, "Stop spacing out, Usagi. Let's set up camp for the night."

"You're one to talk." Makoto jabbed good-naturedly.

"I'm always focused." Minako replied, feigning hurt.

"Sure, sure." Makoto said, clapping a hand on Minako's shoulder before moving past her.

A shy, almost hesitant giggle turned Usagi's attention away from Makoto and Minako's antics and she eyed her new companion with a smile. Hotaru had a sweet, gentle laugh and Usagi was sad that they had yet to hear much of it. Not that there had been all that much laughter from any of them. Wounds were still fresh. So many Revlis dead – her mother…Usagi immediately stopped that train of thought.

Hotaru ceased laughing once she realized that Usagi was watching her. It was peculiar watching that face turn from innocently amused to impassive in a blink of an eye. Completely clamming up, she bowed her head and darted away. Usagi sighed, staring after Hotaru as the girl followed Rei for their nightly duties of collecting firewood. Perhaps sending Hotaru with a rather aloof and increasingly distant and edgy Rei for gathering kindling and wood was not the best of ideas for getting the girl to open up, but it was the way their nightly chores had naturally divvied up since leaving Bunaju.

Usagi set about doing her part in preparing camp, which consisted mostly with helping Ami unpack the saddlebags and spreading out their sparse bedding. Meanwhile, Minako tended to the horses and Makoto prepared for dinner, which tonight luckily consisted of provisions they had picked up at a town the previous day. Usagi's stomach growled at the thought of food, which earned her a wry glance from Ami. She was anxious for Rei and Hotaru to return with firewood that way dinner could get underway. Truthfully, Rei could maintain a small campfire for days without breaking a sweat or much concentration, but it was better to avoid the hassle and allow for proper rest.

They remained quiet as they set up camp, but often Usagi would catch herself or one of the others staring into the wooded depths of Xhyndria Forest. They were actually in what is considered as part of the forest at present, but tomorrow marked when they would cross into its truly ancient grove. None of them knew what to expect where the magic and myth lay thick. Travelers, already rare to Xhyndria Forest, avoided this most ancient of areas where the shrine Charon was supposedly located. Tomorrow they would have to leave their already barely discernable path for the foliage and vegetation of the epicenter of the forest and hopefully not get lost in the process.

Makoto broke the silence, her voice coming out in an almost reverent whisper as she stared into the ancient woods. "This forest…it's so alive. Can you feel it?

"Makoto?" Ami ventured. "Dinner…?"

"Ah…right. Sorry."

Ami watched Makoto curiously for a moment as she went back to work laying out before whispering to Usagi, "And she was teasing Minako about spacing out. She's gotten more and more preoccupied the deeper we've traveled into Xhyndria."

"What was that? I heard my name." Minako questioned, coming up behind them.

Ami and Usagi both started, and then turned around to glare at their offender.

"What?" Minako asked, confused.

Before either could respond, they heard the tell-tale signs of feet carefully picking their way through the forest. They all looked up to see Rei and Hotaru enter their small campsite, each with a bundle of firewood in their arms.

Usagi smiled to see Rei turn around and say something to Hotaru who was following her. Hotaru's purple eyes lit up and she nodded slightly, biting her lower lip. A ghost of a smile stretched across Rei's lips in response, a rare enough sight to warrant Usagi's heart to beat a little faster. She had been worried about Rei since her magic had become twisted and dark those days following their flight from Talrysc Kotyo, a mutated version of warm and passionate fire she normally wielded. Rei had yet to show that magic since, but they had luckily avoided any encounters that would bring it forth. That didn't mean everything was alright with Rei…far from it.

Rei was avoiding her, and it hurt. Usagi had tried to talk to Rei, tried to fix it, whatever _it_ was because she had no idea what she had done to make Rei so…impersonal towards her.

She couldn't explain though, why she still felt Rei's eyes on her, protective and caring. That much made Usagi happy, even if she didn't know why every time she turned to meet that gaze, those dark eyes looked away. She missed Rei's warm presence. She could still remember that comforting hand clutching hers, a lifeline that night her mother died.

"Usagi." Minako's voice cut through her thoughts. "Usagi!"

"Ah!" Usagi shrieked, startled. "What!?"

"Will you stop looking at Rei long enough to hand Makoto the pot you're clutching?" Minako replied calmly.

Usagi blushed, suddenly aware of the cool metal in her hands and the eyes of everyone else on her. "Um…yes! Sorry Makoto."

"Don't worry about it." Makoto replied, taking the offered pot, getting dinner immediately underway.

Usagi nodded, but her gaze was on Rei who was staring back, regarding her curiously. This time it was Usagi who looked away first, the blush on her cheeks more apparent than ever.

Minako watched them both unnoticed. She sighed, her shoulders slumping low, and then bustled over to essentially help Ami help Makoto make dinner.

Intent on their own problems, none of them noticed their silent observer who only wished her magic could heal more than physical wounds.

Makoto worked diligently with Ami by her side and Minako in the way in preparing dinner, and in short order, a pleasant, mouth-watering smell wafted through their campsite. Hotaru had kept up her role watching her traveling companions, her eyes darting between Makoto, Ami, and Minako cooking, Rei peering into the now dark forest as guard, and Usagi stealing glances at Rei. Her stomach grumbled at the smell, reminding her that their light lunch had been hours ago and distracting her from her meticulous observing.

Somewhat embarrassed, she almost missed Minako's giggles. "You're almost starting to sound like Usagi over there Hotaru. I know you've heard her stomach growl like a dog by this point, but she might just have some competition with that."

Usagi caught the conversation, and pouted, "Minako!" Predictably, her stomach gave a particularly loud rumble at that moment.

Minako smiled genuinely. "Never mind Hotaru, Usagi's still lunar cycles ahead of you."

"Dinner's ready." Makoto announced with a pleased expression. "Come on, Hotaru. You can have the first serving."

Hotaru looked to Usagi first, still having not been broken of the habit of deferring to the princess of Revlis El'inmilnum or any of the others for that matter. Usagi, to her credit, very obviously looked up and away, ignoring Hotaru glance.

Minako rolled her eyes good-naturedly at Usagi's acting attempt and stole Hotaru's small traveling bowl that served as a plate out from under her. Ignoring the girl's indignant gasp of "hey," Minako chatted casually while filling the bowl with steaming contents from the pot. "You're in for a treat tonight Hotaru. Makoto doesn't get to make sukiyaki all that often, but hers is very probably the best in all of Revlis El'inmilnum."

"Sukiyaki?" Hotaru replied, peering at the food in her bowl once Minako handed it back to her. "It smells good…but I've never have actually had it before."

"Really?" Makoto responded in disbelief.

"You've never had sukiyaki before?" Ami echoed.

"How could you never had had sukiyaki before?" Usagi said, eyes wide as Minako returned her own bowl of food to her.

"I..." Hotaru looked at a loss for words now that everyone was pressing their attention on her. "I've just never had much of a chance."

The words hung in the air, and Hotaru inherently knew she had opened a can of worms.

Minako, naturally, was the one who pursued the subject instead of letting it drop. "What do you mean?"

Hotaru slowly looked over her companions, running her hands around her bowl. Minako and Usagi were watching her with open curiosity, momentarily ignoring their food, but there was only compassion and kindness in their eyes. Makoto, the last to obtain her food, finished filling her own bowl and sat back, managing to retain her manners and only appearing politely interested. Ami glanced at Hotaru and smiled softly, encouraging, and settled closely against Makoto. Rei remained turned away from their campfire, maintaining watch, while perched on a particularly thick log and holding her own bowl of sukiyaki. Hotaru licked her lips, feeling a faint fluttering of nervousness. But these five individuals, regardless of their station in life…they had treated her with nothing but kindness and acceptance and they already knew her strange power that frightened others so…

"I…I don't know my own birthday." The first words came slow, but soon everything came tumbling out. Hotaru had never talked about herself like this before to anyone. It was cathartic. "I know I'm roughly fifteen, but I couldn't tell you exactly when I was born. All I know is that I was found by a merchant caravan, but I don't know where or when. They took care of me for only a short time, and I'm grateful that they kept me alive. When they reached Patusei on their trade route – who knows how long they had had me at that point or why they chose Patusei of all places to leave me – they took me to the local temple ministry."

"Oh, that's good!" Usagi exclaimed.

Hotaru drew in a breath, about to issue a response. Thinking better of it thought, she caught herself and cast her gaze downwards, collecting her thoughts before looking up to meet Usagi's eyes. "Princess, what's the main temple ministry like in Talrysc Kotyo?"

"Hmmm…" Usagi took a moment to swallow her food and consider her several visits to the temple ministry, which her mother had always encouraged as a service to their people. "Always busy. The clerics typically have a number of programs going on to help those people in need. They serve one meal a day that any person, rich or poor, can have for free. And of course, there is the orphanage section of the temple ministry. There are hundreds of parentless children that are given an education, a place to stay, and three meals a day. There's also dorms that may be stayed in temporarily for free if you don't have anywhere else to go and you can pay a small fee if you stay there longer."

"That sounds nice." Hotaru responded wistfully, looking into her bowl of food. She took a small bite, eyes widening at the pleasant flavor.

"Is Patusei's…?" Makoto prompted.

Hotaru swallowed, and spoke softly, "Have any of you ever been to Patusei?

They all shook their heads, but Minako spoke up between mouthfuls, "It's on this side of the mountains, near the Zanoam River right? Closer to the Arethian border than to Talrysc Kotyo?"

"Minako, have you been there?" Ami asked, her brow furrowed and placing her finished bowl of sukiyaki on the ground near the fire.

"Um, no actually. I was just checking my geography." Minako responded. "Sorry, Hotaru, go on."

"When I was there, Patusei had seen its better days." Hotaru said slowly.

"Patusei's prosperity has decreased since relations with Areth soured following the upheaval in the ruling family twenty years ago – since Ochas became king." Ami jumped in, sitting up straight. "Patusei used to be quite large, not as big as Bunaju much less Talrysc Kotyo, but nonetheless significant. It benefitted from drawing on trade routes from both Revlis El'inmilnum and Areth as well as serving as a center for a number of the mining villages in the mountains. In fact-"

"Ami," Makoto interrupted gently, leaning forwards to put both hands on Ami's shoulders. "Let Hotaru tell her story." She whispered into Ami's ear, drawing the other girl against her and leaning backwards into a reclining position.

"Right." Hotaru said. She placed her bowl of sukiyaki on the ground, suddenly not very hungry despite the rather delectable taste. "I was too young to realize then…but the way I understand it now…Patusei's temple ministry dried up with the prosperity of the town. When people earned less, they gave less and the temple ministry lacked money to run its programs or provide like it's supposed to do."

"But all registered temple ministries receive funds from the capital!" Usagi exclaimed, and then hesitatingly, "Right?"

"They do, but it isn't much." Ami answered for Hotaru.

"It wasn't much, and the high priest was pocketing whatever donations came in from the public." Hotaru revealed.

There was a collective intake of breath. Government corruption was thought to be a thing of the past in the palace at Talrysc Kotyo, a characteristic of the era of city-states in the peninsula, or a feature of foreign courts and officials. Usagi felt sick at the thought.

"Bastard." The low murmur surprisingly came from Rei though she showed no obvious signs of listening.

"A high priest? And no one knew?" Makoto added.

"Not until I found out." Hotaru said. The others could feel a hint of both disgust and bitterness in her voice, so unusual in that it was the first they had ever detected such emotions from the girl they had been traveling with for almost three weeks.

"What happened Hotaru?" Usagi asked quietly.

Even after almost three weeks Hotaru was still confused by her companions who had grown up with everything they could have ever wanted and it still astounded her that she was traveling with the princess of Revlis El'inmilnum. Princess Usagi and the others were like nothing she had ever imagined, though she was unsure of what she actually expected the high nobility of Revlis El'inmilnum to be like; regardless, it was nothing like this. In the beginning, Hotaru thought they were kind out of sense of repayment for her healing of Minako and the extraneous circumstances they were in from the Arethian takeover. She knew better now.

She knew them, and their problems. She knew that Ami and Makoto were deeply in love, but afraid of what that actually meant, so uncertain and still so new to it. She knew that Rei was in love with the princess, and so, so desperately angry, confused, and scared and probably much more. She knew that Minako was in love with Rei and had no idea as to whether to wash away those feelings or hide them, but knew she just didn't want anyone else to see them. And she knew that Usagi woke crying at night, and that there was something emitting from the very essence of her being that was equal parts warm and kind, loving and powerful.

And Hotaru realized they all wanted to know her too. So she spoke, and it was much easier now compared to when she began her story.

"I guess you can say I grew up in the Patusei temple ministry, but it was never much of a home. The high priest there was a man by the name of Siihuco. He ran the temple ministry strictly and cut costs at every corner. It didn't help that Patusei was already struggling to begin with. In the orphanage, everything was regimented and punishments were doled out with every misstep. Even in lessons, getting an answer wrong was not a good idea. Meals weren't much at all, though they did always feed us at least twice a day. The clerics weren't all bad people, but the priests, and especially high priest Siihuco, were always watching, always ready to make somebody an example. I...I almost ran away a number of times and I did ran away a couple of times, but they always found me. When we weren't in lessons, Siihuco had us working the temple ministry farmland or…well, he basically used us parentless as a small workforce – you get the idea – "

"What about the inspections? Every temple ministry is inspected every twelve lunar cycles!" Usagi interrupted looking horrified.

"He just covered it up. Right Hotaru?" Rei interjected.

"Yes." Hotaru nodded, "It wasn't hard, he always knew when they were coming, and everybody was too scared to say anything. Siihuco was too well established and well respected in the community. I…in any case I didn't make many friends in the orphanage. Something about me, I now imagine it's my magic – you've seen it – always scared others away so I was shunned even among the other parentless. Plus, as you probably know, I'm kind of quiet." Saying that suddenly made her dreadfully aware of the attention placed on her again, but she continued on, clearing her throat.

"When I was about twelve, it was around three years ago actually on Saturn's Day of Repentance; it was my turn to clean the priests' offices and that included Siihuco's. It had been a long day already from all the extra services for the holiday and I didn't get started till late. I saved Siihuco's office for last. It was much bigger than the half-dozen offices of the other priests and I was just hoping he would already be asleep before I got to it. As you've probably guess, he was not the nicest of men, though he could put on a good show. I just wanted to avoid running into him…Everything was fine until I heard footsteps approach. I don't know why I did it, I was supposed to be there, but I wanted to steer clear of him at all costs so I hid. The only place to even try to hide was underneath his desk so I dove there with my cleaning supplies. Siihuco was with another priest, I recognized them both by their voices. That's when I found out that he and the other few priests were stealing the little donation money the temple ministry received unbeknownst to everyone, even the clerics."

Hotaru paused for a moment, touched with a bit of humorless irony. "It's funny thinking how scared I was right then when there is so much more to be scared of now."

"Hotaru…" Usagi motioned, but Hotaru pressed on in her story.

"The other priest left, and Siihuco came around his desk to grab something and found me. He was furious. He pulled me out from underneath the desk and slammed me against the wall. He didn't yell, but whispered threats, cursing me, telling me Saturn would destroy my soul and consume everything I loved. When he pulled back his fist to hit me, I don't know what happened, but somehow I made a barrier. It glowed deep purple and threw Siihuco away from me. He crashed into the desk and when he stood, his face was ashen white. I let the barrier fall, confused at his sudden change. He knew rudimentary spells as a wind mage, and I had never shown magical inclination before; there was no reason for him to be that scared. I'll never forget that look on his face or what he said, 'Saturn's already taken your soul you cursed child. That's magic of the deity of ruin and destruction. Serenity above, you need to be killed! Destroyed!' I ran before he could do anything, before he could lose his fear and follow up on his words. I ran right out of the temple ministry into the streets of Patusei and kept going. I've managed to survive just continuing on to the next best place these past three years. I just happened to be in Bunaju when the Arethian takeover was complete. I never stay anywhere long; I don't want to risk discovery, but I try to help when I can. At least some good comes from my magic."

"That's why-? We all know there was something strange to your magic Hotaru, but I thought there was something familiar too." Ami said with eyes wide in revelation. "It's just as Saturn's power is described in ancient texts. Deepish purple, teetering on the brink of unleashing complete ruin, that swallowing feeling of fear when it's used – for good or bad."

"Ami, shush." Makoto gently chided.

Ami blinked, realizing what her words implied, and then rushed to clarify. "But Hotaru we're not afraid of it."

Hotaru's eyes were closed, her arms wrapped around her torso as if she was trying to make herself as small as possible. "Maybe you should be. There's never been anyone who has had magic akin to Saturn's. Saturn, the deity of ruin and destruction…"

"I believe in you Hotaru." Usagi replied, moving so she could sit next to the girl. "I know you're not out to destroy the world. You may have that power, but that doesn't mean you are going to live up to Saturn's name. You're…you're just special. And look what came with it! You saved Minako's life! She was going to die! But you saved her, with Saturn's power."

"Yeah, I mean, Saturn might have a bad rep with being the harbinger of ruin and everything, but look at what day you realized your magic too. The Day of Repentance is meant to be a plea and a promise to deity Saturn." Minako added. "Besides, anything that kept me around has to be a good thing."

"I don't know about that." The words just slipped out of Rei's mouth, the teasing almost natural, like before the Arethian invasion.

"Rei!" Minako protested.

Usagi giggled first, followed by a full chuckle from Makoto. Ami's smile spilled into a laugh, and even Rei couldn't help the quirk to her lips. As Minako's raucous protests turned into laughter, Hotaru found herself giggling along with them.

Ami rubbed their horse's nose fondly as Makoto checked the knot that kept it tied loosely to the tree. Satisfied with the knot, Makoto glanced over to where Usagi was making a fuss with her horse. "Usagi, make sure that knot is loose enough for her to get out if we don't make it back."

"Right, Mako. I got it." Usagi replied taking a break from cooing at her own horse.

Hoisting a saddlebag onto her shoulder, Makoto patted their horse, "Hey big guy, thanks for taking us this far. We'll hopefully be back for you. If not, you get out and run."

The horse neighed in response, nudging Ami who smiled at the affection. "You over-indulge him."

"Of course not." Makoto replied, wrapping an arm around Ami's waist and placing a brief kiss to her temple.

"Is everyone ready?" Minako asked, having finished packing and checking her horse was tied loosely enough to break free once it got too hungry or scared. She fingered the hilt of her sword, strapped across her back to keep it out of the way, suddenly anxious.

They would be going blind into the ancient forest and she knew Xhyndria would not be forgiving. They had to leave their horses. With no path and the trees and vegetation growing and inhabiting together so closely, taking their horses was just not feasible. Who knew what dangers laid in the dark depths where sunlight barely penetrated the foliage? They had no map to go by and no way of knowing exactly where the shrine Charon would lie. They would have to rely on instinct or sheer luck.

Or maybe something else altogether. Minako glanced toward the princess, a faint flower of hope and trust blossoming in her heart.

"Let's go." Rei replied. Minako couldn't help but stare at her. Rei was focused on the ancient woods, brow furrowed in concentration, and dark hair fluttering in the restless breeze. A quiver full of fresh arrows and her taunt bow was strapped to her back and a dagger at her waist. Minako swallowed the odd mixture of apprehension and desire at the sight.

Turning toward the rest of her companions, she regained her sense of self-control. "Makoto, do you want to trail blaze? You seem to have something for the forest."

"Me? Well...sure. Why not?"

"She's right you know." Ami added stepping up next to Makoto and touching her arm, "There's something about you and this forest. It's quite peculiar, and almost earth mage-like."

"Ami, you can hypothesize all you want later. Let's get going and find Charon. And hopefully Pluto." Makoto answered.

"Fair enough." Ami replied lightly, falling instep behind Makoto.

Makoto turned around to smile at her and survey the others as she stepped into the most ancient of Xhyndria Forest. Hotaru was following behind Ami, looking up at the trees with a hint of wonder. Minako was next, eyes darting around furtively in a rare display of nervousness. Rei was…stopped in her tracks. And where was Usagi?

Makoto halted just as Rei called out for her to stop.

Usagi was still standing in the middle of their campsite from the night before. She blinked slowly, her lips slightly parted, and her fingertips resting against her temples.

"Usagi?" Rei ventured, taking a couple of steps toward the princess.

Usagi's eyes closed and then snapped opened. She blinked rapidly, her hands falling back to her sides. "There's something in there…in the old, deep part of the forest. I can feel it."

"Is it Pluto? Or Charon?" Minako asked.

Usagi shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. It's magic though, and different from the rest of the forest. I think I can find it."

"It would be the most probable explanation." Ami said reasonably. "Unless if there is something else there that is deliberately trying to thwart us."

Rei took a few steps forward, "Do we want to risk it though? I can't pick up any sort of reading so I honestly can't say. There's too much magic in this forest, it's interfering."

"I can always heal anyone if something goes wrong." Hotaru found herself speaking up, something she wouldn't have done before last night. She winced at the macabre assumption behind her words when all she wanted to do was reassure.

"We do have our own personal little first aid station." Minako said with a smile in Hotaru's direction, and then pressed onto the princess, "Usagi, what do you think?"

"I think it may be our best option. It doesn't feel evil or bad." Usagi replied with a hint of assertiveness.

"It's definitely more to go on than what I could have done trudging through the trees." Makoto acquiesced.

"I…I guess I'll lead then." Usagi said, slightly surprised at the notion. She walked past Rei catching her eyes for a heartbeat and made her way to the front of the group.

"Alright Usagi. You got this." Makoto said reassuringly as the princess past her. "If you think for one moment we're going to run into something big, bad, or ugly let us know."

"Right." Usagi replied. She closed her eyes, feeling the touch of magic ancient and powerful. There was something dark there too, just around the edges, that reminded her too much of Ochas. She purposely neglected to tell her friends, and a small sick part of her wondered if she would lead them to their deaths. Shouldering past those feelings, she decided she would warn them if that dark feeling increased. Instincts focused on the pull of magic, she set off, winding her way through the trees.

Only Hotaru really _saw_ the primordial section of Xhyndria Forest as Usagi navigated them through it. Minako and Rei were on full alert, twitching at every birdcall or distant crack of wood and ready to wield both weapons and magic against any possible foe. They were uneasy with the shady passage and the thick trees that surrounded them, which left too many areas hidden to the naked eye. Makoto was elsewhere with almost a faint, but pleasant buzzing in her head as she felt nature live and breath around her. They would pass through a patch of sunlight that leaked in from gaps in the leafy canopies and she would breathe in the sun and the forest, a wistful smile stretching across her face. Ami was preoccupied; either dwelling on the distant Makoto or wrestling through any material she had ever read that was on Pluto, Charon, or Xhyndria Forest, knowing though that each step brought them closer to answers. Usagi focused solely on that faint bit of magic that was different than the forest around them and gradually getting stronger. She wound her way through the trees, afraid that if she lost concentration for a moment, the call would be gone forever.

Usagi didn't know how long she walked. Time passed, but who knew how much. The others followed quietly except for the thud of their feet hitting the ground and the rustling of their persons brushing against vegetation. Eventually it began to grow darker, the shade becoming murky as the lunarrise came closer. Usagi's heart began to pound, the feeling of magic not of her own coursing through her veins in time with her heartbeat as it grew stronger. And then suddenly ahead, setting rays of sunlight washed into her vision as the trees parted to reveal a clearing. She could make out a stone structure through the trees and a flare of hope flourished inside of her.

"Hey everyone," Usagi broke the spell of silence that had surrounded them, "Look up ahead."

They gathered closer together as a group, peering through the trees. Makoto blinked, trying to gather her senses. "Has a whole day really past by?"

"Yes…surprisingly. And most curious. I hardly noticed the passage of time myself." Ami answered. She touched a nearby tree, almost expecting something different, but only feeling the rough bark.

"It feels familiar." Hotaru said softly. "The echo of magic I can feel from the clearing. I don't know why that would feel familiar to me though."

"Pluto's the deity of time. There's no one else like her. Maybe it's a familiarity in the foreign you both possess." Ami replied, moving to stand next to Makoto.

"Let's hope she's there too." Minako interjected. "Otherwise…"

"She's there." Usagi said abruptly. She took one step forward, then another, and had almost picked up her feet for a sprint to the clearing when a hand snagged her wrist.

"Usagi, wait." Rei said, peering suspiciously at the clearing. "Let's not rush into things."

Rei's hand was warm on her wrist and Usagi couldn't help but stare back at her, losing that mental grip she had on the foreign magic. Not that it mattered now with whatever her instincts had led her to right in sight. She did still feel it though; the strange magic that she hoped was Pluto and the dark rim that was all too similar to Ochas.

"But there's no need for us to sit here and plan our grand entrance. I say we just go. Pluto has always been loyal to the royal family." Minako said. "I doubt she'll strike us dead regardless of our entrance. At least I hope not."

"Do we even know for sure if that is Charon?" Makoto said, "I hate to play devil's advocate but…"

"No." Usagi said adamantly, hoping her voice didn't betray her slight doubt. "No. She's there. Pluto's there."

"Well, that settles that." Makoto answered. "I'm with Minako, I say we just go."

Everyone turned to Rei, knowing she was the only dissenting opinion. The fire mage sighed, "Okay. Let's go."

Usagi smiled, squeezed Rei's hand, and began a controlled approached to the clearing with the others threading their way alongside of her. A faint sheen of pink colored Rei's cheeks as she stared after the princess, but upon realizing where she was looking she immediately averted her eyes to the ground in shame. She jumped as she felt a hand clap on her shoulder with an accompanying voice. "Come on Rei."

Rei sighed again and turned toward Minako. She managed a quirk of her lips toward the beaming light mage…but… As they quickly caught up to the rest of the group, Rei realized there was something off about the wide smile she had been given. With one last glance to the now somber Minako, she put the whole situation out of her mind. There were more important things to concentration on.

Usagi took the first cautious step into the clearing, breaking through the trees to catch the last rays of sunlight. The clearing appeared like a vestige of the peace they had left behind long ago, except for the shudder of dark magic she felt at the edge. With a small, bubbling brook and green grass dotted with wildflowers, it looked like something out of one of her old picture books that rested back in the palace. The structure was of no remarkable size, but as soon as Usagi saw the curious symbol etched into the stone above what looked like the entryway, she knew it was Pluto's shrine Charon. The grey stone shrine had numerous open archways that reminded Usagi of one of their summer houses on the coast, though the light was as such that she could not see inside.

When _she_ appeared, Usagi at first just blinked, unsure if she was just imagining the figure that stood before her. It looked as if she had just melted into the clearing from the shadows of the shrine. She was tall and striking, almost exotic with dark green hair, crimson eyes, and smooth honey skin. However beautiful she was, she currently looked haggard. She leant slightly against a curious looking staff, her shoulders slumped. Though she appeared composed and impassive, there was exhaustion evident in her gaze. When she spoke, her voice was a rich alto. "Princess Usagi of Revlis El'inmilnum."

"L-Lady Pluto?" Usagi questioned.

The woman nodded, her soft voice surprisingly carrying across the short distance. "Yes."

There was a collective sigh of relief from the group. They had made it and somehow, despite everything that had befallen them, without great calamity.

Pluto spoke again, this time her voice was waylaid with weariness, sorrow, and apprehension, "Forgive me for not giving you the proper respect Princess. Though I fear the fact that you are here can not mean good tidings. I am currently…unable to do much at all, but please, you are all welcome and for the time being safe in this place."

They exchanged glances, all suddenly quite weary now that the adrenaline of the moment had subsided. They approached Pluto and stopped again before her, this time close enough to see deep circles under her eyes. Minako took the initiative, falling on her formal court training that was almost second nature. She stepped forward and bowed her head in respect, "Thank you Lady Pluto, Guardian of Time." She looked up, meeting the crimson eyes, and swallowed, suddenly nervous. "I think we all have much to share."

A slight smile worked its way across Pluto's face, the first any of them had seen. It almost seemed to erase her fatigue. "We do, Minako of House Aino."

Minako's brows narrowed in suspicion. "Wait! How do you know my name?"

"Minako! Don't offend the Guardian of Time!" Rei hissed.

"It's fine. I doubt I'm quite what some stories make me out to be." Setsuna answered. She half-turned back toward Charon. "I'm sorry, but I must…" She trailed off, and then readdressed them. "Come rest inside."

With that Pluto turned to walk back inside the shrine, but she faltered, her body near giving out even with the extra support from her staff. Makoto reacted in a blink of the eye, immediately by her side with the Guardian's arm over her shoulders.

Usagi looked on worriedly, "It's Ochas isn't it? He's been here…"

A flash of surprise danced across the group, and Ami, ever curious, was the first to press questions as they followed Makoto and Pluto into the shrine. "Usagi, how did you know?"

"I could just feel it on the edge. He's done some sort of magic." Usagi replied.

"How did you know it was him?" Ami pressed.

"I don't know. I mean, no one else has magic quite like him." Usagi answered, "It's almost like you can touch dark."

The last to enter the confines of Charon, Hotaru shuddered unnoticed and wrapped her arms across her middle, a sick feeling in her stomach.

"…Tangible darkness…" Ami murmured with her mind already processing and digesting the information.

Makoto helped Pluto settle onto a divan, hardly believing she just aided the deity of legends, the Guardian of Time, into her own shrine. The room they found themselves in was large with colonnaded arches stretching across either side, which led outside. The floor was made of stone, much like the rest of Charon, with the middle of the room forming a sunken rectangular depression that was lined by two steps all the way around. Thick carpets covered the floor and made the room less imposing. The ceiling was flat, but darker gray stones had been used to create the curious symbol of Pluto into its surface. Rei took the liberty of lighting the unlit torches that rested on the stone walls before sitting on the steps of the depression. The others chose to rest closer to Pluto on cushions and divans. Hotaru hesitated and then drew alongside Rei, still ill at ease.

Pluto seemed to regain some of her statuesque composure once she was seated, "Forgive me for that display. I hope nothing ever led you to believe I was omniscient or omnipotent, for I am far, far from such." There was bitterness to her words, and shame. Usagi's heart suddenly ached, realizing that despite the legends and myths, the woman before her was very, very human too. Pluto's crimson eyes landed on Usagi as if aware of her thoughts as she continued speaking, "Princess, you are correct. Ochas has been here. He took something very important of mine, which he has been using to draw my power from. He then repaid me by placing a seal on me and Charon that prevents me from leaving. I've been working night and day to break it, but truthfully, the whole situation has left me rather…" She paused, searching for a word,"…depleted."

"That explains why you never came!" Ami exclaimed, "In the past, Pluto has always appeared before the House of Serenity in times of need."

"And my failure, I perceive, has come at the worst possible time." Pluto said gravely.

"Lady Pluto, my mother is dead." Usagi said the dreaded words. It was so absolute and painfully easy to say. She felt a cold fist wrap itself around her heart, and her next words stuck in her throat as she tried to blink away the tears.

Pluto closed her eyes, murmuring something – a prayer? – under her breath. Minako, casting a meaningful glance at Usagi, continued with her voice low and somber. "Ochas and Areth have completely taken over Revlis El'inmilnum including Talrysc Kotyo. Not only that, deities Neptune and Uranus are on his side! We don't have many options right now…but we thought that you…"

"My failure persists." Pluto answered. Though she seemed to remain emotionless, something about her whole being screamed defeat, but only Ami had caught the small jolt of surprise Pluto gave at the mention of Neptune and Uranus. That told Ami more than any of her other words. "As of now, with this stifling seal, I can not help. I can not read the Time Stream or even walk outside of this clearing. I am powerless."

To hear a deity of Revlis El'inmilnum proclaim utter helplessness and vulnerability sent a collective shudder through the room's occupants. More than that…the one window of opportunity they had was shut.

In that moment however, the princess of Revlis E'inmilnum stood up with no trace of weariness or defeat. "I can break the barrier. Or, I can at least try, but I'm sure I can do it! Magic has never come easy to me, but if I can't do this one thing…"

"I believe you, Princess." Hotaru, who had remained relatively quiet, spoke with such conviction that Usagi immediately gained more confidence. With her purple eyes on Usagi, she missed the crimson stare with questions in the depths leveled at her by Pluto.

"We can help too." Rei said with conviction and her body flared with magic. It was a warm red aura and not the twisted dark blaze, Usagi was pleased to see. It was but a second later when a bright yellow, rich green, and cool blue joined the flare of red, casting a rainbow of light in the shrine. Hotaru almost added her deep purple magic, but hesitated and then completely stopped herself. She did not want to throw in her foreign magic and destroy the concentration of power centering on the princess.

Usagi almost at first felt consumed by the additional power, feeling for the first time the true extent of her friends' power. Then she could feel her own magic, struggling to burst forth as if from a dam, advanced by the reel of friendly power issuing forth from her friends.

At first it appeared as if Usagi was just bathed in a radiance of light. The light grew, her muscles tightened, and she threw her head back. Then it exploded forth like endless rays of sunshine in all directions with Usagi as the source, meeting the dark seal and washing it out. Pluto felt the seal resist with a flicker of darkness, but it was consumed along with the rest of the seal. It was like being released from actual physical bonds and her body tingled pleasantly, finally free.

The flux of magic vanished, leaving Usagi in its wake panting and exhausted, but it was done. Ochas's seal was broken.

Rei had sprung to her feet and was there to catch Usagi when her eyes rolled back into her head. She gently guided her down, the others crowding around as Usagi's eyes fluttered back open and settled on the fire mage. "Rei, I did it."

Rei offered a beautiful, broken smile, "You did it."

Ami's hand went against Usagi's head and then to her pulse. She sighed with relief, "She'll be fine. She just needs food and some rest. Here, Makoto, help me sit her up."

Usagi fended off their fussing and managed to sit up on her own. Pluto, still marveling at the absence of Ochas's dark and heavy magic on her being, climbed to her feet with the beginnings of her vitality restored. Then, with everyone's eyes upon her, she prostrated herself before Usagi. "Princess, I do not know how to begin offering my thanks."

Before she could continue, Usagi interrupted with a bright and friendly smile, "Lady Pluto, you can start by getting up and calling me Usagi."

The Guardian of Time raised her head, meeting the welcoming gaze of the Princess. She found the smile waiting for her so infectious, she couldn't help a small one of her own, "Then call me Setsuna."

"Lady Pluto, forgive me, but that's an archaic name. Were you…Were you by chance ever just like us." Ami couldn't resist asking as everyone began to settle back down.

"I was Ami. Long, long ago. I was nothing but an average human. And please, all of you call me Setsuna." She answered and rose to her feet, "Ah, I'm sorry, it's been a long time since I last hosted anyone that wasn't out for blood and I've completely forgotten my etiquette. I have plenty of food to offer, the forest is an excellent provider, though I only have preserves left at the moment."

Usagi's stomach grumbled at the mere mention of food. She laughed with small embarrassment, her face turning red. "Heh, that would be great."

Setsuna nodded and vanished deeper into the shrine. Ami watched her go, suddenly dumbfounded that this was one of their deities – the legendary Guardian of Time – and they were interacting with her like she was one of them. The whole situation seemed to be the reverse of what it should be. Pluto was being completely deferential to them and especially to Usagi. Granted, from what Ami knew, the Guardian of Time always swore direct allegiance to the line of Serenity. In her own way, Pluto directly served the queen of Revlis El'inmilnum. To see her first almost powerless, and then witness her fetching food for them…it warped the standard. Oh, but there was so much to ask her, not the least of which concerned Pluto's own power.

Setsuna returned with dried venison and flatbread. At the sight of food, Usagi's stomach wasn't the only one that growled. Setsuna sat back on the divan, watching them. Usagi, Minako, Rei, Ami, and Makoto – they were all just how she saw them to be back when she could still glimpse the future. And she could sense it, the expansion of their power. It was a slow build up of magic wrapped around their souls so similar yet so different from hers. Their power was still growing and transforming too. Wait…she concentrated more closely, feeling a distinct twisted distortion in Rei's magic. It was wrong, so wrong. Then on the periphery, she felt something strange, yet familiar. Her eyes landed on the curious final member of the group, the shy dark-haired girl, who she had never glimpsed in the Time Stream before. That meant she was either insignificant, something had masked her from Time, or they were following another future that had spun out. Feeling the magic in the girl, Setsuna knew it wasn't the first option. Then luminous purple eyes met her crimson ones for one brief moment, and the familiarity she tasted in the power clicked into place. Most curious…

Setsuna always had thought Saturn was like her, the sole possessor of their respective magics, but it was there plain as day. Hotaru held Saturn's magic, and had vast quantities of it. Setsuna had only ever met Saturn once long ago, but she knew that girl certainly was not Saturn masquerading as a normal girl. How to explain Hotaru then…?

"Plu…I mean…Setsu-um-Lady Setsuna, aren't you going to eat?" Minako asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"Just Setsuna is fine Minako." She replied. "I don't have to eat much to sustain myself, and I've already eaten today."

"Amazing." Ami said, eyes shining, "How do you maintain proper energy?"

Setsuna thought about her answer for a moment and then decided upon a very simple one. There were more pressing matters to attend to then her livelihood. "My life is intertwined with magic. You have to understand, I am mortal, but my body does not age. I can die just as easily as any of you from sword or sickness."

Usagi's eyes were as wide as the full moon outside. "Wow! How old are you?"

"Usagi, that's rude!" Minako chided, but her expression betrayed her own curiosity. "You never ask a lady her age."

Setsuna allowed a small chuckle, "I'm very, very old."

"And the other Guardians? Uranus and Neptune. Are they the same?" Rei's sharp question brought the almost jovial atmosphere crashing down. Usagi and Minako looked down, the reason as to why they were there suddenly returned like a slap across the face. Makoto frowned at Rei who had the presence of mind to recoil and look ashamed.

Setsuna appraised the fire mage with a level stare. Oh yes, there was something very wrong with Rei's magic. "You said Uranus and Neptune had joined Ochas?"

"Yes." Makoto was the one to answer, "Though we all agree that there was something very odd about the way they acted."

"They weren't happy." Usagi added. "They attacked us, but they weren't happy."

"Why did they join him though?" Minako said, raising her voice, "They are supposed to protect the kingdom! Why are they helping him?!"

Setsuna, Pluto, the Guardian of Time, spoke softly in the ringing silence that followed, "Let me tell you a story…"

* * *

_Michiru bid goodnight to the stable-master after checking on Zephyr's preparation for the journey the next day. Seeing the big stallion was comfortable and well-rested on the eve of the expedition put her at ease as well. Though she hid it from Haruka, partly only because Haruka was preoccupied with the implications of the journey as well, Michiru felt edgy about the upcoming separation. The Deep Aqua Mirror was hinting at something and kept showing her flashes of Queen Serenity and then various images of palace scholars, mages, and high nobles. Michiru wasn't sure what it was trying to say, and she felt woefully inept. _

_She made her way through the palace to their apartments, putting the anxiety out of her mind and went through a mental checklist on preparations for the journey. She and Haruka would be going separate ways, helping powerful Revlis mages reinforce spells on the ancient sites that tempered the weather and seas. Or, at least, that's what they had been told. They each would be traveling with an impressive retinue of powerful mages, the head palace scholars, the queen's chief political advisors, and a few high nobles. Though Michiru couldn't say she was looking forward to traveling with some of these people; she had a few longstanding disagreements with a number of them._

_She arrived back to their apartments without incident, only to walk in and find Haruka terrorizing a servant that was attempting to help her pack._

"_No, no, no. Why would I even need that?" Haruka's voice was lace with agitation._

"_My apologies Lady Tenoh." The servant squeaked. "I'll set it aside."_

_They both looked up when Michiru let the door fall shut behind her. Forgetting himself, the servant stared at her as if she was some sort of guardian angel, relief evident in his eyes. Michiru resisted an amused smirk, as he suddenly remembered and hurriedly bowed in greeting. "Welcome Lady Kaioh."_

"_You may leave." Michiru said not unkindly._

"_If that is all you require of me." The servant bowed again and looked as if he couldn't get out of there fast enough. _

_As he went by her, Michiru touched him on the shoulder, effectively stalling him. His eyes went wide as she spoke in a low, conspiratorial voice. "I apologize if Lady Tenoh was of any difficulty."_

_The servant gaped at her for a moment, obviously overwhelmed. Remembering himself again, he stuttered out a response. "N-No. N-None at all." _

_Regaining his sense of movement as her touch left him, he scrambled out the door as fast as possible, face awash in red._

_Haruka eyed Michiru with evident displeasure. "I suppose you enjoyed that. He was a complete dolt though. Wanted to pack up just about every damn thing in this place." She scoffed, "As if we'll be gone forever."_

_Michiru knew the warning signs when Haruka was in a foul mood. If the body language wasn't enough, the cursing usually did the trick. With her arms crossed, she stared at her half-packed trunk. Michiru did think it almost looked comical with clothes and other random objects scattered every which way around their living area, but she knew that this was not a moment Haruka would appreciate laughter. She sidled up next to her, wrapping her arms around Haruka's trim waist and resting her head between Haruka's shoulder blades. After a moment the wind mage sighed, her body relaxing and uncrossing her arms. She turned around in Michiru's embrace, giving her a light kiss in greeting._

"_Are you all packed and ready for tomorrow?" Haruka questioned, moving away from the comfort of those familiar arms to make sense of her own packing._

"_Yes, everything of mine is prepared to go at first light." Michiru answered. She chose a seat that had the fewest amount of items on it and watched Haruka pack._

_Haruka sent her a sidelong glance, "No chance there was any word from Serenity today?"_

"_No." Michiru sighed slightly, "I'm afraid not. Truthfully, I'm more worried about her roaming across the world than what she thinks of this curious little adventure we're undertaking."_

"_I feel the same. It's much too late in the pregnancy to be traveling. She'll be leaving any day now..."_

"_I know." Michiru said worriedly. Her tone changed as she regarded their disarrayed living area once again, "And about traveling…Was it you or the servant that made this mess? Seriously, it looks like the entire contents of our cabinets, closets, and more have made its way out here."_

_Haruka answered with a crooked grin and resumed rifling through said items to see if she needed to include anything else in her baggage. Michiru watched her in silence, more than content, and knowing she was going to miss the quiet moments like this during the separation. _

_After some moments Haruka sighed and eventually just closed her bag, giving it a solid kick for good measure. She looked over to Michiru, a slight smile playing across her face, "I'm going to miss you."_

"_It will only be a lunar cycle Haruka, and then we'll be back together. And Serenity will have returned by then too." Michiru rose to her feet and began organizing the various pieces of clothing that were scattered around the room._

"_Ah yeah…" Haruka ran a hand through her hair. She let it fall back to her side, her shoulders slumping with it, perfectly adopting the mannerisms of a petulant youth. "I don't see why I can't just go with you and then go to the mountain. We haven't been separated for this long since…"_

"_Since we've been together…yes."_

"_More than a full lunar cycle…agh…" Haruka growled something under her breath which Michiru thought sounded an awful lot like 'I need a drink.'_

"_If we traveled together that would double the journey. And while I certainly wouldn't mind, a lot of the people accompanying us would."_

"_Michiru, they don't really need us and we should stay in the capital anyway. We can just let them go by themselves." Haruka said with frustration._

_Michiru didn't respond for a moment as she continued to clean. Deep down she wondered if Haruka's frustration originated from more than just at their prospective separation. Perhaps the wind mage was receiving feelings about the mission similar to Michiru that made her feel ill at ease. If Haruka was picking up such vibes without the aid of the Deep Aqua Mirror, maybe Michiru really did need to reconsider this entire operation…No. She clamped down on those thoughts. She was just being paranoid. Setting that aside, she finally responded to her expectant partner. "But we told Serenity we would help as much as we could while she was gone. If they need us for something, it's the least we could do to honor our Queen's words."_

"_Hmph."_

"_Oh, stop." Michiru said. She walked up to Haruka and shoved a load of clothes into her arms. "It is only a lunar cycle and then we'll be back together."_

_Haruka went to one their closets and just dumped the articles of clothing there. Servants would come by after they left to clean the place, anyway. Looking back out into their living area, she saw that Michiru near had the whole room clean. Haruka hummed from the back of her throat appreciatively as she watched her lover pick up the last few items. A grin played across her face briefly in a sure sign that she had put her frustration behind her for now. "You don't seem to care all that much about being away from me. And you know it'll take longer than a lunar cycle."_

_Michiru caught the sudden mood change, "Stop pouting love. Of course I'm going to miss you." She paused, setting the rest of the items she picked up at the end of one of their lounges. When she continued, her voice had dropped into a low purr. "Do you want to spoil our last night together for awhile…or…would you like me to show you how much I'm going to miss you?"_

_Haruka quickly decided not to play along, instead she held at a hand, feeling her heart already beating faster. "Come here you."_

"_Hmm…" Michiru answered, taking the offered hand, "That's the Haruka I know."_

"_Well," Haruka laced their fingers together, "I suppose it isn't that long of a time in the grand scheme of things."_

"_Exactly. Ah, what would Serenity say if she heard you being so optimistic?" Michiru said, her free hand teasing at the collar of Haruka's shirt._

"_Michiru, love?" Haruka pulled her closer, secularly wrapping an arm around her waist._

"_Yes?"_

"_Shush." Haruka whispered, and then crushed their lips together in a searing kiss._

_Haruka remembered a brush of soft lips against her cheek early the next morning and then Michiru was gone, off to that tiny rock out in Ym'dea Eesp. Her own party did not depart until mid-morning that day. Now here she was two weeks later, climbing Suwdin G'nrih, almost to its crown. The other mages had yet to brief her exactly what magic they would be weaving once they reached the summit, but Haruka really could care less. Her thoughts rested either on Michiru or Serenity. If she delved into the memory enough she could still feel the pleasant tingle of Michiru's lips against her cheek and other things too…While that was more than pleasant to turn to during the long days of traveling, she also constantly worried over Serenity. _

_Perhaps it was all this inner dwelling that let Haruka miss what was right in front of her for most of the journey. Her traveling companions grew increasingly antsy and apprehensive the closer they reached Suwdin G'nrih. By the time they reached its base, even she finally noticed that something was amiss. She put it aside as they climbed up the narrow path, marveling at the ancient magic that kept the path warm and clear even as snow masked the mountains around them. Besides, a fair number of the group had to focus all their efforts on the hike, lacking the perfect physical conditioning that she and a minority of others possessed. In any case, they were probably just nervous at the success of the spells they had to cast. Appeasing the storm gods and taming the weather was an important task for the well-being of the kingdom after all. Now almost at the top, she cast Michiru and Serenity out of her mind, deciding she would be better served by figuring out exactly what she would be doing._

_Haruka singled out a mage she was familiar with, a man who was high up in the ranks of mages that served the kingdom. "Hey Komu!"_

_He grunted a response, eyes staying on the path as Haruka bypassed a couple of panting, scholarly mage types to reach his side._

"_So what's the deal? What kind of magic are we going to be messing with up there?"_

_The weathered lines on his faces grew tight as he grimaced, casting a sidelong look at her. "Ah…you'll be better off waiting to find out once we get up there. Besides, I don't think I'm the best one to explain it to you." _

_Haruka shrugged, letting it go. She would find out soon enough._

_It wasn't long before they rounded a curve, and the most curious structure came into site. So this was Miranda. Among Serenity's own books was one that covered ancient sites of the peninsula, and she had read about the curious shrine and seen rudimentary sketches of it before. No one was really sure when Miranda was constructed or why, but here it was with spiraling sand-colored stone towers and large, open archways and windows. Stopping in her tracks, she felt a few people brush by her as she gazed at it, suddenly consumed with foreboding, though she couldn't place why. _

"_Eh Haruka? You coming?" Komu said gruffly as he walked by._

_She didn't give an immediate reply, still staring at Miranda. The wind brushed around her almost audibly whispering its caution. By this time, the rest of her traveling companions had past by and climbed the carved steps into the shrine's entrance. Komu alone waited just a few paces ahead, his face hard and stoic. Beyond him, the remainder of the group peered at her anxiously from the entrance._

_The wind was doing more than whispering now. It blew hard against her, as if trying to actually push her back down the slope. "Easy." Haruka murmured, holding out a hand in front of her. The wind immediately stilled, and Haruka, going against every instinct, took a step forward. The dull thud of her feet hitting the ground felt final. Exhaling, she spoke to herself, "Let's just get this over with."_

_Komu caught her words and nodded, "Yes." He gestured her ahead. _

_Haruka hesitated once more as she reached the top of the steps, unsure of what exactly she should do at this point with everyone else seemingly milling around. As if to solve this immediate problem, one of the mages that she was relatively unfamiliar with approached her holding a water skin. "Water?"_

_Haruka managed a smile, "That would be great." She took the water skin, and without a thought, drank some of its content. Having got her fill, she handed the skin back and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She frowned at the odd taste left in her mouth from the water. "Hmm…where did you get that water?"_

_The mage didn't answer her. Instead she backed away slowly, clutching the water skin tightly to her. Haruka was suddenly aware of everyone's eyes on her. She tried to take a step forward, but her limbs went rigid and didn't seem to want to move. Her head was beginning to feel too heavy for her neck, her eyes drooping. She tried to speak, but the words get stuck in her throat. She managed a hiss of a syllable, but that was all. Blackness crept along her vision just as muscle control completely left her. She surrendered her consciousness as she collapsed; her very last thought was of Michiru._

_The first thing Haruka was aware of was the constriction that squeezed around her soul, her magic, and her physical body. It was heavy and almost a painful, dull throb. She groaned, and forced her eyes open. She squinted against the intruding sunlight. Her body refused to do much more and she stifled another groan. As she tried to make sense of her surroundings, a voice intruded. She was sure it was rather soft-spoken, but the noise pounded in her head._

"_Haruka Tenoh of the Wind, you are now bound to the shrine Miranda in order to serve Revlis El'inmilnum and House of Serenity."_

_Bound? Bound? Haruka thought wildly. What did that mean?_

"_As possessor of the ultimate power of the skies, you will aid in ushering in an era of peace and prosperity for the kingdom. As successor and inheritor of ancient powers akin to the great Senshi Uranus, you will protect this kingdom and the House of Serenity, guiding the storms and the wind. You are Uranus, Guardian of the Skies, deity to Revlis El'inmilnum like Pluto is Guardian of Time."_

_Haruka's mind raced. Like Pluto? A deity? The name Uranus was more familiar, an ancient word meaning 'of the Wind,' that she heard people use in reference to her before. And what about...?_

"_Michiru?" She managed to croak._

"_Is Neptune, Guardian of the Seas, deity of Revlis El'inmilnum." The voice answered. _

_Like hers, but what did it mean? Finally, Haruka managed to turn her head, her eyes fully open. She was still in Miranda judging by the sand-colored stones and the rich blue carpet she was rested upon. And standing some paces away were two members of her traveling group – one of the head scholars and one of the high nobles. Her head lolled and her eyes traveled past them and through the entrance to see the rest of the group gathered outside. They were staring in at the proceedings and her gaze centered, for some reason, on Komu appearing as stoic as ever._

_Haruka realized the scholar was still talking._

"…_you will remain here for the ensured safety of Revlis Ei'inmilnum."_

_Remain here? What did he mean by that? She struggled to move again, this time finding it easier. Her body still ached all over. The constriction she felt when she first awoke even more numbing now. It was like a tourniquet wrapped around her entire body. She managed though, pushing her self into a seated position. The scholar and the noble both scurried backwards at her movement as if frightened. As well they should be, Haruka didn't have the slightest idea what was going on._

"_Uranus, you are bound to this place, to protect Revlis El'inmilnum and the House of Serenity!"_

_That was the noble whose panicked screech made Haruka's head hurt all the more. Haruka forced some words out, her throat dry and scratchy, "Bound? …the hell?"_

"_For the safety and insurance of the kingdom, you are to remain here separate and distinct from us mortals." The scholar said calmly, sending a warning glance to the noble._

"_Remain?" Haruka responded, now trying to climb to her feet._

"_Ad infinitum." The scholar remained. The noble had gripped his arm, and was steadily trying to back them both out of the room._

_Her body still protesting, Haruka forced a couple of inebriated-like steps. "What?"_

"_You are too powerful for us mortals. To best serve and protect the kingdom you are to remain here."_

_It all seemed to finally click for Haruka. Speaking came easier now, "Too powerful? You're telling me I'm something like Pluto or Saturn?"_

_The scholar nodded hesitantly. _

"_So you're…locking me up here?"_

_The noble fled at those words, her fright at Haruka's reaction proving too much. She ran out of Miranda down the steps to join the rest of the group._

"_And Michiru?"_

_The scholar was considerably braver, but he was beginning to sweat too. His eyes darted around nervously. "The same at the shrine Triton."_

"_Is this some sort of joke?" Haruka asked dangerously._

"_No."_

"_No?" Haruka whispered, taking menacing steps forward. "You're telling me I'm to remain here indefinitely because I threaten you? And the same is meant for Michiru?"_

"_Everything is done in the best interest of Queen Serenity and Revlis El'inmilnum?"_

"_Does the queen know anything about this?"_

_The scholar shook his head, and started to step backwards._

"_You want me to stay here on this forsaken mountain alone in order to serve my queen and country? I was doing just that back in Talrysc Kotyo."_

"_It's to ensure the greatest possible chance of survival for the kingdom."_

"_And what else?" Haruka pressed. There was something missing from the equation. Nothing seemed to make sense._

_The scholar hesitated and then continued, carefully not looking at her. "To make sure deity Saturn, Guardian of Ruin, is never summoned."_

"_What does that have to do with me?" Haruka said lowly._

_The scholar didn't answer as he started to back away slowly. Haruka strode forward, her muscles finally somewhat cooperating, but she had to fight against the painful-numbing of the constriction. Losing all patience as the scholar cowered, she roared, "What does that have to do with me or Michiru?!"_

_A sharp gust of wind accompanied her shout. Strong and unforgiving, it collided into the scholar and sent him flying. He landed in a thud at the bottom of the steps that entered Miranda. Haruka went after him, hobbling to the top of the steps. Komu and another man went to the scholar, hurriedly dragging him backwards._

_Hastening down the steps as best as she could, Haurka resisted a groan of pain each time a foot hit the ground. The pain only fed her rage. "After everything we've done! After helping to make this kingdom! You want us to remain locked away because you're scared of our power!"_

_Then she stopped as if she had run into a wall. On the last most step she fought the binding and the erected invisible barrier that kept her from advancing any farther. The barrier bent slightly as she fought against it, but try as she might with magical or physical force, it didn't give, much less reveal a crack. Eyes widening in realization, she finally understood the constriction she felt wrapped around her. It was a complex, intricate layering of all different types of magic that tied her life and very essence to the shrine Miranda. A spell she could never break because of its knots of dissimilar magics. Livid, she fought against the barrier as the Revlis turned as one to make their way back down Suwdin G'nirh. _

_Komu trailed at the end of the party. He turned once to look back at her just before he rounded the corner that would take him from sight, his stoic expression unbroken. Then he was gone._

_Haruka released one last hoarse yell. It was one not of fury, but of anguish. "Michiru!"_

_Elsewhere, far to the south, across mountains, and plains, and sea, Michiru whispered her own torment, "Haruka…"_

**Fin Chapter**

A/N: Well, some questions are answered, but many more remain. A couple of plotholes will be filled next chapters.

Also, I'm really curious on hearing opinions on Mamoru/Usagi/Rei/Minako(/Setsuna!?) if you might have one. I keep going back and forth on two possible resolutions for our characters' relationship woes. Regardless there is still a lot more drama ahead.

By the way, sukiyaki is a type of Japanese dish typically made with thin sliced beef and a variety of vegetables in a pot.

Anagram Corner!

Last chapter's anagram was Bunaju, which as I'm sure you all figured out was Juuban.

This chapter's anagrams are:

-Zanoam (hint: both a Sailor Moon and real world something)

-Patusei (hint: think solar system)

-Siihuco (hint: a SM someone)

That's all for the Anagram corner!

Pronunciation Guide:

Aliaxga: ally-axe-guh

Areth: eh-reth

Asliro: as-lee-row

Bunaju: boo-nah-jew

Hawkai: hall-kai

Ochas: oh-chas or oh-kass, depending on accent

Onom: oh-numm

Patusei: pay-two-say

Revlis El'inmilnum: rev-liss el-in-mil-num

Siihuco: see-who-co

Suwdin G'nrih: tsu-den gee-ray

Talrysc Kotyo: tal-risk co-tee-oh

Xhyndria: zen-dree-uh

Ym'dea Eesp: eem-dee-ah esp

Zanoam: zan-no-um

Next Chapter: A checkup on Mamoru, Luna, and Artemis (what you forgot about them?), Usagi plus others embark on a new quest, and Haruka and Michiru want to have a throwdown with Ochas.


	9. Reality

A/N: An update! This chapter has also not been beta-read.

**Revlis El'inmilnum**

_Chapter 8: Reality_

From the road above, Mamoru stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Motoki. Behind him, he could feel other Revlis hurry along, all trying to their best to go about their business without attracting attention and mostly ignoring the commotion below in the fair interest of self-preservation. Mamoru put the risk out of his mind and leaned over the parapet between two street vendors to look down at the busy road below. People desperately scurried out of the way of the Arethian soldiers who were escorting a half-dozen tightly chained Asliro. It was more than he had dared to even hope, but though in chains, Motoki was alive! As were five others, all Asliro who he had trained and grownup with – Kalic, Takeo, Aki, Sunal, Ryamo.

Mamoru's mind raced. Six Asliro being escorted by a dozen Arethian guards. Where were they going? Could he risk a rescue attempt? Why weren't Motoki and the others making any effort to escape? Could he even pull off a rescue attempt? How quickly would other Arethian soldiers make it to the scene? Were these guards especially skilled or just the average type?

He realized he was already forming a rescue plan, though Luna would skin him alive if he took any stupid risks. Yet even completely disregarding his best friend, here were six Asliro, which would enormously help their cause. It was one thing to have the pledge of ordinary Revlis citizens and a few ordinary foot-soldiers in their underground resistance, but it was something else entirely to have members of the Asliro. And right now, aside from himself, they only had managed to find two other Asliro; the rest of the proud force, assumingly dead, or in a position much like Motoki and the others.

Peering closely as Motoki came closer to being directly underneath him, Mamoru noticed his friend's odd step. As an Asliro, he had never seen Motoki fully inebriated before, but if he had to guess, his intoxicated walk would look something like this strange shuffling lurch. Mamoru quickly scanned the other chained Asliro, noting their varying dissimilar strides as well as their slumped shoulders. If he squinted just enough, he could also see their half-lidded eyes. It certainly wasn't injury, and Mamoru knew of no magic that could weaken the body so. Inherently then, he knew they were drugged with something that prevented them accessing their magic.

Now Motoki was just past him, and Mamoru knew. Damn if he was going to let his best friend and fellow Asliro go without even trying. Unazuki's tavern was so close, which was both a blessing and a curse. He would possibly put the base of their resistance at risk, but he could also quickly get Motoki and the others there and into hiding. Though she had yet to mention him since Mamoru's initial arrival, he knew Unazuki would be so happy…

Fleetingly, he wished that he had time to retrieve Artemis and Luna or anyone. But there was no time. Not even for a swallow of nerves or his heartbeat to jump in apprehension. And certainly, there was no time for fear.

Without much of a thought to it aside from the rationality of hiding his face, he snatched a carnival mask from the vendor cart next to him. It was a simple white thing that settled across the bridge of his nose, but it fit perfectly, wrapping around his face and covering his eyes. Then he leapt over the parapet, his black cloak flapping out behind him, as he left behind startled gasps of Revlis on the road above.

He had a split second to call his magic. For the smallest of moments, earth strained underneath the cobblestone road before bursting upwards, forming a steep slope that guided his fall. Simultaneously, the ground shook violently just in the immediate area, but it was enough to knock the captive Asliro, the Arethian soldiers, and the passersby to the ground.

Those who were just outside the range of Mamoru's small earthquake scattered, shrieks of both terror and surprise echoing off the buildings and drawing attention from people both around and above.

Mamoru landed easily and slipped the dagger at his waist out of its sheath. Swift as night, he grabbed the nearest Arethian soldier and slit his throat. Mamoru let the now lifeless body drop to the ground, no time to hesitate and meditate on the act of bringing death. Trained as they were, the soldiers were back on their feet even as their comrade fell dead. The captive Asliro remained on the ground, the drug and the shaking earth too much for their weakened bodies.

With a stomp to the ground, a carnal yell escape from Mamoru's throat, as he forced the magic out. The ground split into a chasm at the site where his foot landed, snaking forward to a line of Arethian soldiers who had no time to react. Three of the soldiers toppled into the rift, one howling as he landed awkwardly with his leg bent into an unnatural angle.

Mamoru had no time for another attack as a burst of fire headed his way. He gritted his teeth at the prospects of another mage, but summoned a wall of earth upwards to block the flames. The fire licked around the edges, but Mamoru was safe for the moment. Ensconced behind his makeshift wall, he knew his only chance would be to cause as much chaos as possible. He just had to avoid Motoki and the others, which was much easier said than done considering they were in the middle of the street and not going anywhere.

He could see a couple of soldiers picking their way too him. Luckily, aside from their gleaming sword blades, they didn't seem to have any other weapons. Just in time, the fire mage gave up on his direct attack and Mamoru took the chance. With some of the earth from his wall still smoldering, he clenched his right first and then released it, palm forced against the earthen barrier. A shiver of magic channeled down his arm and the earth exploded outward in rock hard clumps. He heard shrieks of pain and the unmistakable thud of bodies falling to the ground as the smoldering earth slammed into one, two, three soldiers.

Before he could so much as think about sighing in relief at taking out five Arethian guards, a ring of fire erupted around him. It was an effective reminder that there was still the mage to deal with, plus six other angry guards who were now inching toward him with swords raised defensively.

Through the encroaching, licking flames he spotted the fire mage taking carefully measured steps toward him. The fire mage was panting from exertion, obviously not holding the easy, natural skill of most Revlis mages. A snarl played at his lips and he roared, "Get him alive!"

Mamoru didn't know where to look as the soldiers closest to him feinted in one direction and then went another, while the others opted for a direct charge. The mage redoubled his efforts, and Mamoru went on the defensive. Growling with effort, he forced a thick wall of earth up all around him. His chest heaved as he was suddenly shaded by his makeshift wall. He knew he didn't have time to linger and recollect his wits; more guards would arrive before long. Neither did he want to give up his shield, especially now when he couldn't see what was going on around him. His immediate thought of causing another earthquake was rejected. His element of surprise was gone and they would be ready for that sort of attack – at least at the amount of strength he was willing to put behind it. Mamoru didn't want to risk hurting nearby Revlis civilians or his fellow Asliro.

Before he could put together any sort of plan or the Arethians could execute one of their own, a furious and familiar shout pierced through the air. "You idiot!"

Mamoru could not help the relieved smile that spread across his face. He could hear a whistle of a blade and a shriek of pain just outside his enclosure, and that was enough of a signal for him to drop his shield of earth. The wall collapsed, nothing more than dirt forming a ring around where he stood.

At the sight of Mamoru, Luna locked blades with the soldier she was fighting and scowled, feeling the need to repeat her sentiments. "You idiot!"

Artemis was near the prone form of the fire mage, gracefully fighting off two other soldiers. Parrying one strike and then another, he managed to fit in a warning edgewise, "Luna, let's save the scolding for later."

Mamoru was quick to help Artemis even as Luna finished off the Arethian she was fighting. Earth quickly rose; catching one of the soldiers by surprise as it first snatched his heels, and then encased the rest of his body, leaving Artemis just one to fight. Mamoru added layer after layer of earth and quickly condensed its mass and pressure on the soldier inside. He did his best to ignore the dying scream of the soldier even as Artemis expertly killed the remaining threat.

There was but one soldier of the original twelve guard left – the man whose leg he had broken earlier. But as Mamoru turned his eyes upon him as the soldier attempted to drag himself away, Luna was there. He couldn't help the wince as she effortlessly dispatched the soldier despite his desperate pleading. Unbidden, his thoughts turned to Usagi and for the first time, he was truly glad she was not there. He didn't want her to see them, _him_, kill mercilessly even if it was for the kingdom.

A sudden cheering sounded from above, startling the three of them. There, lined along the parapet and the road Mamoru had leapt from, were the Revlis who had not fled the scene. Even as he picked his way though the carnage to Motoki and the other Asliro, Mamoru couldn't help the small smile of satisfaction at giving the Revlis something to cheer for.

He crouched at Motoki's side, suddenly anxious when he realized his friend's eyes were closed. "Motoki!"

Mamoru's fear was short-lived as Motoki's eyes cracked open, and he slurred together some words, "Mamoru. You are an idiot."

Mamoru smirked, "So I've been told." His smile faded, "Do you think you can stand?"

"I'll need help." Motoki replied slowly, "We've been drugged. It's something that relaxes our muscles, prevents us from focusing on calling magic too."

"That's what I thought." Mamoru nodded and held out a hand. "Come on. You can lean on me. We have somewhere safe."

He pulled Motoki to his feet, a task made all that more difficult by the chains and drug. He helped to steady his friend by throwing Motoki's arm around his shoulders, once he finally got him to his feet. Artemis already had Sunal, a fierce but extremely petite Asliro, thrown over one shoulder much to her dismay and was helping an unsteady Kalic stand. Luna meanwhile was seeing to Ryamo and Aki. Despite the fact that the two Asliro almost looked to be the worst off out of the lot, she already had both on their feet and was steadying each with an arm a piece.

"Oi!"

Mamoru's head turned sharply to find the source of the noise. He spotted the source of the noise, a man waving frantically from the road above.

"More are coming from that way!" The man pointed frantically up the street as the rest of the Revlis around him began to quickly disperse.

Mamoru quickly got Takeo to his feet, supporting him on one side and Motoki on the other as Luna waited rather impatiently with Ryamo and Aki. Artemis was already edging down the street with a weakly protesting Sunal draped over his shoulder and Kalic walking unsteadily with Artemis's help.

Artemis hesitated at the mouth of the nearest ally in order to hurry Luna and Mamoru along, "Come on!"

Though having to support two drugged and chained Asliro a piece, they did have advantage in knowing the streets of Talrysc Kotyo. More importantly, Artemis had already pieced together a pathway to the back of Unazuki's tavern. Mamoru got Motoki and Takeo moving as fast as possible, which admittedly wasn't very fast at all, as Luna disappeared down the ally with Artemis. They dodged around the corner just as the shouts of Arethian guards became much more pronounced. This particular ally was shaded by the curve of the retaining wall and street above, which formed part of the upper district where he had been before his rescue attempt, and sandwiched on the other side by numerous shops and homes.

Thinking quickly, Mamoru grimaced and heaved Motoki and Takeo forward as he reached the dark corner of the first building they passed. Motoki and Takeo stumbled and fell, drugs and chains too much for them to stay on their feet. Already strained, it took a moment for his magic to properly respond to Mamoru, especially when he was trying to control it for exact measurements. Luckily, the earth rose under his manipulation as he crouched down and then swept his hands up. Showered with debris from the cobblestone ally street, a crude barrier nonetheless formed between the retaining wall and the building. Even better, as long as no one ventured down the particular ally, they shouldn't be able to see the difference between the dark stone retaining wall and the muddy earth. Mamoru allowed himself to relax slightly as he heard shouts of Arethian guards coming from the street they had just escaped.

"Good thinking," Luna acknowledged briefly, having stopped to see the commotion, and then she hissed, giving a good imitation of an angry cat, "Hurry up!"

They made it to Unazuki's tavern, somehow without incident. The Revlis they encountered along the way, purposefully turning their heads even as the echoes of angry Arethian soldiers could be heard throughout the city.

Artemis pounded on the backdoor. Sunal had long since given up protesting and looked as if she had passed out, her head lolling against Artemis's gray tunic. Kalic collapsed next to the door, the others soon joined him. Mamoru felt like collapsing himself as he gently guided Motoki and Takeo to the ground. Luna, however, had other ideas. "Take off that mask. You look like a fool. Though, I admit, hiding your identity was the one bright thing you did."

Mamoru was startled to realize he still wore the white mask he had snitched, and took it off, tucking it into his belt. He was also exhausted, but he didn't need Luna to tell him he had taken a risk. He knew she only cared and, rightfully so, didn't want to risk compromising the little bit of headway they had made. With that in mind, it was much easier to temper his words. Plus she was technically still his superior. He managed a stiff sort of bow, "My apologies Lady Luna."

Luna blinked in surprise, and then her features softened, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "It was reckless, but I couldn't say I wouldn't have done the same thing."

The door to the tavern opened behind them, Unazuki appearing in its frame. Her eyes went to Artemis, Luna, Mamoru, and then finally landed on Motoki. She gave a startled gasp, a heartbreaking smile gracing her features, and was clutching the near-delirious Motoki in a blink of an eye.

"Unazuki," Artemis broke in gently, "Sorry to interrupt, but we really need to get inside."

"Right. I take it you're the ones who have caused them to get all riled up." Unazuki responded in reference to the audible shouts of Arethian soldiers. She let go of her brother, wiping at the tears in her eyes. "Quick then! Down to the cellar!"

They all managed to shuffle inside the warm kitchen, Unazuki supporting Motoki herself. A couple of their resistance members hurried to aid them, while others stood guard at the kitchen entrance, eyeing, not the patrons who all knew exactly what kind of business was going on in Unazuki's tavern, but the main door.

Luna saw familiar red hair in her peripheral vision. Turning her head, she caught Naru watching from the edge of the kitchen. She looked worried, wringing her hands, eyes wide. Luna decided to remedy that situation, "Naru!"

The girl near jumped out of her skin, but she quickly snapped to attention, "Yes Lady Luna?"

"Go get Umino!" Luna ordered.

Naru nodded fervently and disappeared out of the backdoor before anything else could be said.

"Very wise my dear." Artemis responded, Sunal still draped over his shoulder, "If he doesn't know what they've been drugged with, nobody will."

Mamoru ushered Takeo down the steep cellar steps, following Unazuki and Motoki. The cellar itself was quite large and cavernous. A few oil lamps were lit overhead, hanging from the wooden floorboards of the ceiling and casting a flickering light in its space. Wooden casks of wine and beer covered most of the floor space, and along the backmost wall were a half-dozen huge tuns that had been built inside the cellar itself. Artemis was at the second one, prying open the wooden front. The large cask was empty except for the lingering stench of fermented alcohol. Artemis placed Sunal inside first and climbed in after her. He stepped around her, and then without much ceremony, knocked open the back of the tun where by all rights and deception a solid wall should have been. Instead, another room was revealed, this one even more cave-like than the cellar with earth walls covering all sides, but much smaller.

Mamoru had dug it out with his magic, after Unazuki nearly begged her collaboration for a resistance against Areth. Wooden support beams had been added to prevent a possible collapse as well a number of oil lamps. There were chairs and a few cots, but most telling was the large table that held city blue prints, maps, notes, and books. Also in stock was a collection of first-aid equipment, food preserves, and two casks of wine. In one corner was an improvised armory with whatever weapons and armor pieces they had managed to collect thus far.

Once the captive Asliro had been settled into the cots one by one, a resistance member, a handy and quite useful locksmith, bustled inside and began picking at their chains. Starting with the burly Kalic, the locksmith soon had his hands and ankles free and moved on to Aki. Moving out of the locksmith's way, Artemis and Luna shared a look, and then ducked out of the secret room after gesturing toward Mamoru to join them. Mamoru nodded, but first went to Motoki's side, standing next to a teary-eyed Unazuki. He clasped his hand on Motoki's shoulder, "Good to see you're alive."

Motoki looked up through droopy eyes, "You too. Thought you were dead."

"Do you know anything about the drug they gave you?" Mamoru pressed

"Wears off." Motoki whispered.

Mamoru smiled, relieved. "Rest easy, you're safe. I'll be back later."

"Mamoru," Motoki said wearily, "Thanks."

Mamoru nodded sincerely, and then motioned for Unazuki to follow him. She leant over and placed a kiss against Motoki's forehead, "Go to sleep, Motoki. I'll be here when you wake up."

The locksmith brushed by them as they left, quickly working at Motoki's chains. The other Asliro had already been freed from their shackles, and had more or less allowed their bodies to rest in states of unconsciousness. Finally they were safe from the untold conditions the Arethians had put them through, and Mamoru felt a glimmer of contentment at the sight of his Asliro brethren.

He slid out of the empty wooden tun, following Unazuki. Artemis and Luna were waiting in the cellar, talking in low voices. For the first time, Mamoru noticed the blood that flecked Luna's khaki colored tunic, "Luna, are you alright?"

"What?" Luna replied and then looked down at her clothes, "Oh. Yes, I'm fine."

"Mamoru, we certainly won't treat you like a child." Artemis said, crossing his arms, "You've proven yourself time and time again, and we both know you were aware of the risks."

Artemis shot a look toward Luna, who smiled, "Well done."

"Thank you Mamoru, for saving my brother." Unazuki said.

"You don't have to…" Mamoru said, looking uncomfortable.

"I know. I know you would have done it regardless, but still, thank you." Unazuki said.

"Unazuki, its best you head upstairs. You know the plan." Luna said briskly, "Our rescue attempt wasn't all that far from here so I wouldn't be surprised if they don't perform searches. We'll wait to brief Umino here."

"Right," Unazuki nodded, and quickly called for any lingering resistance members in the cellar to follow her. The locksmith jumped out of the empty barrel and closed the front of it behind him, immediately masking any sign of the hidden room. He nodded to them and followed Unazuki and the others up the stairs, the creaking of the floorboards above signaling that business had returned to normal in the kitchen.

"Assuming the drug they were given is not permanently debilitating, that gives us a total of nine Asliro." Artemis said. "And our friends in there might have plenty of useful information too about where we can find more."

"Motoki said the drug wears off. Hopefully he's right." Mamoru added. "They'll need to stay in there a few days, especially until we get them some new clothes."

"Those prison rags would be a dead give away." Artemis acquiesced. He cast a glance toward the tun that hid the secret room, "In any case, the sooner they're on their feet, the better. Everyone knows Asliro to be the true strength of the kingdom; it'll give hope for our supporters."

"Our supporters?" Luna said wryly, "Every single Revlis citizen is one of our supporters. Taxes, conscription, property seizure, searches, daily abuse, lack of basic human freedoms…that's all they have to look forward too now. They still call the name Serenity. They curse the name Ochas. All except for the most cowardly."

"Cowards are the most dangerous of people." Artemis responded carefully, "Though they typically have a very good reason to be. Not everyone can have fortitude when faced with a living nightmare."

"I think…" Mamoru interrupted, "The worst hell is not the personal threat of agony or death to the self, but the mere thought of that happening to one's loved ones."

"Not everyone…not many…can deal with the sacrifices. Not everyone can face what menaces them," Luna said somberly. "Though I count the majority of people of Revlis El'inmilnum far from cowardly. In any case, let's step away from philosophy. As far as I know, it's never won wars."

"Truer words have never been spoken, dear." Artemis replied.

Luna ignored him, immediately delving into more practical matters. "Now is the time to become more organized. Nine Asliro to base our resistance on combined with the few soldiers we've managed to find thus far."

"With them, we can start taking in and arranging Revlis civilians." Artemis said.

"You two will be in command of course." Mamoru put in. There was never any question of that, and Luna and Artemis knew it too.

"We can't risk getting too excited." Luna cautioned. "Becoming organized is one thing, actually being an effective and feared force against the Arethians is another. We know that they have an awful large force inside the city itself, and that's not counting the soldiers stationed across the country."

"We need to start spreading the word that Usagi lives and is free from Ochas." Artemis said, "Even if it's only a whisper of a rumor, something like that will catch like wildfire. It does help that it's actually true."

Mamoru swallowed, "Everything, everything rests on the Princess."

Though Luna and Artemis had said much the same thing many times before, they both gave him a knowing look. Mamoru cleared his throat in order to suppress his sudden embarrassment, saying the first thing that jumped into this head, "We need a name."

"Hmmm…" Artemis said, rubbing his jaw line with his hand, "I suppose just calling us the resistance is rather bland. Doesn't really strike dread into the hearts of our enemies."

Before anything else could be said, the cellar door banged open. A pattering of feet was heard, and Umino came into sight, flying down the steps. Unfortunately he tripped, missing the last few steps and fell the rest of the way. The pack he was carrying went flying out of his grip and landed near Artemis's feet. He quickly climbed to his feet, pushing his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose. "I heard! Are they…?"

"Yes, go on in." Artemis replied, handing Umino his pack. "Can you stay in there with them until we send someone else down? We won't make you wait too long."

"Of course." Umino replied, opening and then scrambling into the empty tun.

"Make sure it stays quiet in there." Luna warned as Umino closed the front of the tun. They heard the creak and the thud of the second door that marked Umino's clambering into the concealed room.

"Alright, upstairs." Luna motioned, and then looked down at her bloodied clothes, "I need a new tunic too."

"Personally," Artemis said as they climbed the cellar steps, "I could use a good drink."

* * *

The night wore on as Setsuna spoke of Uranus and Neptune. Her voice was low and steady, enrapturing her listeners. And slowly, as the story unfolded, Uranus and Neptune became Haruka and Michiru. When Setsuna's words stopped, a consuming silence filled the room as the girls processed the truth.

"No…" Usagi whispered, breaching the silence. As always, she wore her emotions on her sleeve, tears evident in her eyes. "I don't understand…why? After everything they did…"

"The Revlis were afraid." Setsuna answered. "Haruka and Michiru had proved their loyalty to Serenity time and time again, but, in other minds, they had never proven it to the kingdom. They were too much of a wildcard to power-hungry individuals. Too powerful. And, most importantly, they were terrified of one particular thing…"

"Saturn." Hotaru spoke softly, but was heard by all.

"Saturn." Setsuna affirmed. "They discovered something...Something that Saturn told me. Something that I had told the first Serenity. It is my belief that they discovered a version of Serenity's private notes on the knowledge I imparted to her…The Sky, the Sea, and Time to summon deity Saturn."

"Uranus, Neptune, and yourself," Ami said slowly.

"But it's more than just our actual selves. It's our Talismans. The manifestation of our Pure Hearts that have existed even before our physical bodies came into being. The promise of our existence that can summon Saturn."

"I mean no disrespect Lady Plu…I mean…Setsuna, but why did they not target you? Why only Haruka and Michiru?" Makoto asked with an edge of hesitation.

"I believe the circumstances as they were dissuaded them from tying me to Charon. Haruka and Michiru were young, new to their powers, and right there in Talrysc Kotyo. I, on the other hand…am a rather ancient power, even at that time, flitting in and out of history as I pleased. I think they were intimidated." Setsuna answered.

"So for them, Queen Serenity I's retainers – the nobles, the scholars, the mages – they thought they were doing the kingdom a service?" Minako asked rhetorically. "Locking away Neptune and Uranus...I could feel it when we met them in the throne room, their connection. I can't imagine…"

"That separation." Usagi filled in for Minako, "The strength that took. They were hurt so horribly…All on the chance they might summon deity Saturn."

Setsuna opened her mouth to speak, but Hotaru beat her to it. Her small voice trembling as she looked down at her hands, "You met Saturn, Lady Setsuna? It's terrible, isn't it? Saturn's power."

"No." Setsuna said adamantly, almost looking as if she was going to spring to her feet, "It's wrong. Serenity's court, Ochas, every book you have ever read. Legend has been warped over time. Saturn is not just the Guardian of Ruin."

This proclamation was met with a bewildered silence. Hotaru looked up sharply, purple eyes boring hesitant anticipation into crimson, and timeless Setsuna, who had seen near all the horrors and hope of history, felt her own heart break. "Saturn is the Guardian of Ruin and Rebirth."

"Rebirth…" Hotaru murmured in wonder, her heart pounding as she looked down at her hands again. She felt a pressure on her shoulder, its weight comforting and warm. Looking up, she met a smile from Rei still sitting beside her, a real genuine smile, and not one of the fake ones that Rei had been prone to give during their journey.

Ami looked the most stunned out of all of them, "Everything was wrong. Every text. Every document. Every legend. It's so significant. How the truth gets manipulated says just as much about history as the actual events."

"But why was that part of Saturn forgotten?" Usagi pressed, "How could people just let the promise of Rebirth go? I mean…why let something good vanish?"

"And why didn't you correct them?" Minako shot at Setsuna before she could answer.

"Saturn is as ancient as me, if not older." Setsuna answered, looking not at all affronted, "Definitions rarely remain static over such a lengthy period of time. As for me, the years and generations in which Saturn became known just as the Guardian of Ruin, I was lost in Time. There was nothing I could do."

Minako scowled at the enigmatic answer, but didn't press the issue. Instead Makoto spoke; her brow creased in a combination of worry and thought that would look much more in place on Ami. "After everything, betrayed, separated from each other, forced to live in solitude, they still tended to the kingdom for all these years. With their powers in those shrines, they could have made the land inhospitable. But they didn't."

"As you have no doubt gathered, us beings who are called deities and guardians, we're still human though gifted with certain abilities. Haruka and Michiru are good people, but I think what tamed the anguish and pain until Ochas presented such a ripe opportunity was Serenity. Even when free, they were fiercely loyal to Serenity I and subsequently the royal family." Setsuna responded.

"Serenity I died in childbirth didn't she?" Ami asked. "I think I remember reading that at some point…"

Everyone except Setsuna glanced toward Ami in surprise. The Guardian of Time closed her eyes and murmured, "Yes. Yes, she did."

"It's the only reasonable explanation." Ami explained for the benefit of her friends, "Serenity highly regarded Haruka and Michiru."

"They were friends," Usagi assuredly interrupted, "Close friends."

"I can't imagine she would have settled for what was done to them otherwise." Ami continued.

"Yes. Serenity II came premature." Setsuna said, "It was while they were crossing Y'mdea Eesp. No one was prepared on the ship. They didn't even have a proper midwife. It was a wonder Serenity II even survived."

"What about Serenity's husband? It sounded as if he was friends with Haruka and Michiru," Makoto asked.

"He was not the same man following his wife's death." Setsuna explained, "It's part of the reason why interactions with outside countries are limited to trade today."

"We could certainly use some allies now." Rei said, surprising everyone as she rose to her feet. Dark eyes settled on crimson and words spilled forth with purpose, "Lady Setsuna, I know we can count you as an ally. It is my understanding that you have always served the line of Serenity and the late queen's last words were to find you. Forgive me for pressing the issue, but what path should we take now? It's all well and good to know what has shaped Uranus and Neptune into the decisions they made, but where do we go from here?"

"Haruka and Michiru joining Ochas have far more dire consequences, part of which, I believe, is Ochas's true goal." Setsuna replied.

"Which is…?" Minako pressed, eyes narrowed.

"Stealing my Talisman ignited my suspicions, but your news of Haruka and Michiru at Ochas's side has made it apparent."

"Saturn." Ami said with horror. "He wants to summon Saturn."

Setsuna nodded gravely, "And bind her to his will."

Unnoticed by all, Hotaru trembled. Her arms clenched around her body, trying to make her self as small as possible.

"Can he do that?" Makoto said.

"I wonder." Setsuna replied, "Why did he not enact some sort of magic like that on me? Perhaps he has not yet found a magic in which to do such a thing. However, if any place were to hold the keys to a clandestine power that would bind a deity as old as Saturn it would be the palace library in Talrysc Kotyo."

"Haruka and Michiru acted funny when we encountered them that…awful day." Usagi said softly, "They didn't want to hurt us at first. I could feel it. And they said as much, but Ochas did something…"

"It could be that he knows some variation of a spell that binds a person to another's will." Ami reasoned, "Or…it could be that he already knows a spell that does exactly what he wants and he is just waiting for the right time to approach Saturn."

"How exactly do you go about approaching Saturn anyway?" Makoto said.

"Saturn has a shrine, Titan, at the ruins of Genum Ku'gnae." Setsuna answered. "That's where she is summoned…yet another thing Serenity I's retainers got wrong. They believed that regardless of location, once myself, Haruka, and Michiru were together, Saturn could be summoned."

"History is full of so many holes." Ami said, almost excitedly.

Setsuna gave a low chuckle that startled nearly everyone, "It is. Even for me. Even for Ochas. I don't think he knows about the Talismans."

"Why do you say that?" Minako said, "He took yours."

"He did…my Garnet Orb…so he can tap into my powers. But…you, Ami, knew that I had visited Serenities of the past. I go in and out of history as I please. Even if it is just the barest details, I am known to always have the Garnet Orb with me. Ochas must have deduced that it is tied to me through a number of recollections and documents that depict me. He can't have known about Haruka and Michiru's though so he swore them to his side instead."

"Does that necessarily change our situation though?" Rei said darkly.

"Yes!" Usagi exclaimed, springing to her feet, "Rei, if we can get Haruka and Michiru on our side…"

"There are still a lot of difficulties with that though." Minako said evenly. "What if they are magically bound to him? What if they truly remain sympathetic to Ochas? What if even Ochas figures out the Talisman detail and takes theirs?"

"We can't know right now, but there is still a chance!" Usagi said. "We can't let him summon Saturn and have that power. We have to try to stop him!"

"How?" Rei answered sharply, "He defeated Pluto. He has both Uranus and Neptune. We were like ants to him in the throne room. How can we defeat him? He murdered your mother!"

An immediate, tense and uncomfortable silence consumed them. Usagi trembled, her head down, unable to respond and full of indescribable, raw emotions. Hotaru edged away from Rei who glowered darkly, while Setsuna watched impassively. Minako frowned, and, despite her own feelings, didn't hold back from admonishing, "Rei!"

When Rei didn't respond, Usagi swallowed thickly. She managed to speak, though her voice came out in a shaken whisper, "Min-Minako. It's okay."

"No! It's not okay!" Minako shouted and then whirled toward the fire mage, "Rei-"

Rei interrupted her before she got any farther. Her voice was curt as she summoned the necessary courage, cutting into Minako's speech, but underneath there was an aching vulnerability, "No, it's not okay. Usagi…Princess…I can't let you die. I…couldn't stand to see you in pain."

Usagi looked up, "Rei…I'm already in pain. My people…It is my duty to protect them…for them to suffer…It hurts me too."

In the quiet that followed Usagi's words, Setsuna spoke, easing the tension with her curious announcement, "There is a reason you are all here today."

There were uncertain glances exchanged around the room, but Setsuna had voiced her words in such a way that left no room for questions. Instead, Makoto shifted, feeling anxious, "What should we do?"

"I can access my magic now; however, Ochas has blocked me out from the Time Stream through twisting the Garnet Orb. I can't see any possible paths, but I believe there is only one logical step to take at this point." Setsuna said calmly.

"And that would be…?" Minako said impatiently.

"You travel deep into Genum Desert to Genum Ku'gnae, find the shrine Titan, and you summon the Guardian of Death and Rebirth before Ochas can noose his dark magic around her." Setsuna replied wryly.

She received a number of blinking, confused stares in response.

"I thought you said that Saturn could only be summoned with the Talismans." Hotaru said with an odd quaver to her voice. "That Saturn herself told you that."

"There are many unexplained phenomenon in our world. Magic grows and magnifies. Seemingly arbitrary power is given to certain individuals. And the line of Serenity has always been capable of the impossible." Setsuna said, crimson eyes steady on Usagi.

"You…you think I can summon Saturn?" Usagi replied. "I barely know my magic. It's always been so hard for me to use."

"You broke through Ochas's magic that was placed on me." Setsuna responded simply. "If there is anything in this world capable of performing extraordinary, impractical, unfeasible feats, it's the magic that runs through your blood."

Usagi was flustered, "Well…I...I don't…I'll…I'll try."

"I think you know you are related to this land, your kingdom, in more than purely physical ways. That includes connections to us, the Guardians of Revlis El'inmilnum." Setsuna said, "To be utterly honest, I can't say that I know you'll be able to summon Saturn for sure, but I think there's a good chance."

"It's our best option." Minako agreed confidently. A grin worked its way across her face as she stared at the princess, "You'll be able to do it."

Makoto joined the others on her feet, a gleam of composure and assurance in her eyes, "We just have to beat Ochas there."

"We have to remember that Ochas is not omniscient. He does not know about the Talismans or Saturn's true identity as the Guardian of Ruin and Rebirth." Ami said, rising to stand beside Makoto.

"It will be a long journey. We'll have to travel back into more populous territory and Arethians will be everywhere. Then will have to cross high into the mountains only to meet the desert on the other side. It won't be easy." Rei said purposefully, "But Usagi, if that's the path you choose, I will be there. And for the Revlis too."

"Thank you everyone." Usagi beamed, unabashedly wiping at a sudden tear. She closed her eyes, one word fleeing from her lips, "Hope."

"What about you, Hotaru?" Minako said, casting a glance to the girl still seated on the stone steps of the depression.

"I know it'll be dangerous so I understand if you don't want to come." Usagi said. She took several steps forward and kneeled at Hotaru's feet. "I'm scared too, but will you come with us?"

"I…" Hotaru felt her heart soar at the invitation, a sense of completeness feeling her, of true friendship. At the same time, however, she could feel the blood pounding in her head, a flash of darkness around the edges, a forewarning that made her hands shake. Her answer was obvious though, and she answered shyly, "I wouldn't choose anything else."

Usagi sprung to her feet, beautiful in her joy. She offered a hand, and Hotaru automatically took it. She was pulled forward, suddenly a true member of the group as she stood in a loose circle with them.

Usagi's attention swiveled to Setsuna who had already rose to her feet. The Guardian of Time held out a hand, gesturing for silence for the question she knew was coming. "I may not retain all my abilities, but I still can wield magic, hold my own in a skirmish, and have years of experiences stored away. I'll be joining you. It is, after all, my duty to serve the Queen of Revlis El'inmilnum."

"It's not duty." Usagi said simply and leaving it at that. Setsuna received a smile just as stunning as the last and was pulled into the group so that they all stood gathered close together in the middle of Charon. Pluto's symbol gleamed in the ceiling and firelight danced across all their eyes. And for a heartbeat, they all just stood there, an unbreakable entity.

"I feel like there's something we're supposed to shout right now." Minako said.

Rei, next to her, smirked, plenty amused and wonderfully lighthearted for the first time in weeks. She caught Minako's gaze and the light mage flushed, a pretty red filling her cheeks and highlighting the blue of her eyes.

Setsuna gave an imperceptible smile and shifted, backing away from the group. She was still a creature of solitude, and anymore of this almost ceremonial intimacy would edge toward uncomfortable. "Ah… you should rest for tomorrow's departure. Please feel free to sleep anywhere."

"Thanks Setsuna." Usagi responded. She suddenly felt completely exhausted, and stifled a yawn. "Till morning then."

* * *

Like clockwork, as soon as people learned that there was to be a…_demonstration_…at the Lunar Square located in front of the palace, they came spilling out of the streets and buildings prey to their curiosity. They started slowly and hesitant as only the courageous or foolish slipped up closer to the high decorative platform placed a short distance from the main gates of the palace where public announcements, exhibitions, and shows had been made in the past. But their numbers seemed to increase exponentially, the first few Revlis citizens paving the way for others, and before long, the Lunar Square was filled and still more people hovered in the surrounding streets.

Above them, manning the ramparts were scores of Arethian soldiers. They stood at ease, but kept a careful eye on the crowd, crossbows ready for use. The Revlis citizens remained rather quiet, an uncertain hush filling the square. There were angry whisperings and a few obscene gestures directed toward the Arethians, but no one ventured to do anything more. Instead they waited, morbidly curious as to what the usurper was planning. And many of them perhaps were waiting for somebody, like the rumored masked man that took out a whole squad of Arethians two days before, to gain the courage to instigate a revolt, in which case, they would join in a heartbeat. Regardless, the gathered Revlis waited.

When the sun was directly overhead, the gates to the palace thudded opened. Arethian soldiers in full-armor immediately spilled forth, hundreds of them, lining the already well protected platform and filing into impenetrable lines. They pushed against the Revlis gathered closest to the front earning spitted curses from those brave enough, but the sight of the bared spears kept the worst at bay.

Ochas had walked out of the gates before his soldiers had even finished setting themselves into an unbreakable barrier. He slipped up the stairs onto the platform with light steps. Many were taken a back to see him so close. They had not necessarily expected Ochas to show himself, and if he did, it surely would have been from the high safety of the battlements. Yet here he was, a striking figure standing on the platform. His presence was such that he had the attention of every Revlis in the square in a matter of seconds.

Dead quiet reigned. Ochas smirked, and then turned, beckoning with a hand back toward the palace gates. No one could see what waited there due to the wall of soldiers, but it didn't take long for four guards to pull a finely dressed, shackled middle-aged man and woman onto the platform. The couple was shoved to their knees by the guards who then stepped back to the edge of the platform. Only the Revlis closest to the front could see the panicked fear in the captives' eyes.

Ochas paced the length of the platform, looking for all the world like a prowling tiger. He pitched his voice just so in order for it to carry across the Lunar Square, "I heard there was a bit of a scuffle the day before last. Twelve of my soldiers dead and six prisoners of war freed."

There was a murmur across the crowd at this and Ochas waited patiently for silence to be seized again, "Now, I had thought you Revlis were being treated more than fairly. After all, I have let you keep your lives however trivial they may be. I was quite…" He made a show of hesitating, before letting the word slip off his tongue with a wry smirk, "…_distressed_…to find that you, my new citizens, were not happy. Certainly, I thought, this is my city, my kingdom, my people, and I must be doing something wrong if my people are not happy."

There was a shift from the audience, many of the people realizing where Ochas's words were leading.

"Do not mistake me; I know that only a few individuals were involved. I do hope I can make them happy with this gesture, but I also trust that this action I undertake as your sovereign pleases the remainder of you as well." Ochas kept his tone light and stopped his pacing, stepping between the two kneeling individuals. He opened his hands, gesturing to them, "May I present the Lord and Lady Aino. They have been chosen to help me express…my desire to see to your contentment. After all, if you, the people of Talrysc Kotyo, are displeased, we need to see to it that we never have an incident like the one from two days ago again. Otherwise, I might just have to take further action."

Even the most obtuse Revlis felt the chilling threat behind Ochas's words. The Lord Aino shook, hands trembling so violently that the chains binding him rattled, and his breath came in ragged gasps. The Lady Aino appeared composed from a distance, but upon closer inspection her features were notably ashen and two tear tracks marked her cheeks.

"But first, let me introduce two other players that will aid in our demonstration." Ochas said, patting the couple on their heads with either hand. Then, not even deeming it necessary to turn around, he raised his right arm and beckoned with his hand.

The Revlis closest to the platform and the palace gates anxiously looked around the wall of soldiers, failing to spot anything that stood at the gates other than more Arethian guards.

There was a murmur of confusion as nobody new appeared, but Ochas immediately put that to rest, "Ah, it seems I forgot to inform them that they would be assisting me today." Now he turned his back to the Revlis gathered in the square, his head tilted upwards as his gaze traveled the height of the palace walls to the parapets at the top. "Uranus. Neptune. If you please?"

Michiru caught Haruka's hand in her own on the palace wall above, clenching it tightly as Ochas's gaze found them. They both knew what the emperor-king had in store them on that platform. Haruka tried to focus on the softness and familiarity of Michiru's fingers wrapped around hers, but even that failed to distract her. She was not proud of it, but Haruka had taken many lives in the span of her years. Yet, at the thought of merciless execution under Ochas's order, she felt bile rise in the back of her throat.

They had been forced to watch the proceedings above and they had gone unnoticed, cloaked as they were, framed by soldiers, and with Ochas commanding interest. Now, invariably, attention turned toward the palace walls and they could no longer hide. Ochas's voice carried steel and menace, and they knew that they had no choice but to obey.

Taking one last look at each other, Haruka nodded first and then smoothly vaulted herself over the parapet. A normal person's legs would have broken on impact from that height, but the landing in front of the palace gate was nothing to the Guardian of the Skies. There was a dull thud behind her that announced Michiru had made it to the ground in similar fashion.

Ochas waited for them up on the platform, a smirk playing across his lips and his eyes flashing. Haruka cast a glance at Michiru before deciding not to waste any more time. She walked up the steps of the platform steadily, all too aware of Ochas's eyes on her…and Michiru. She could almost feel his words from the night following the invasion… '_If either of you disobey me again, I'll fuck you till you bleed the sea, impudent wench.'_

Haruka schooled her features into an expressionless mask as Ochas took a large curved sword from one of the soldiers stationed at the edge of the platform. She resisted a low growl as the emperor-king offered her the blade once he had inspected it. Stepping close in order to take the sword, she was unable to keep her thoughts from rushing to the idea of running the blade through Ochas's heart. Though, as her hand brushed his in taking the hilt, she could feel the ready dark power and knew such an action would be far from easy.

Ochas repeated the process for Michiru, who accepted the blade impassively. Then he casually addressed the audience, the faces he could make out in the crowd staring up at him in growing horror, "Revlis citizens, these are your deities, Guardians of the Skies and Seas, sworn to me." He sneered wickedly, casting a side glance at Haruka and Michiru, "Even your gods acknowledge me."

He let the words hang in the air, and the crowd gaped, aghast, and transfixed on Ochas, on the Guardians, knowing yet dreading the truth. Haruka was sickened at the sight of the emperor-king as he reveled in the alarm and dismay, dark eyes calculating. Ochas stepped in between the Lord and Lady Aino again, a hand placed almost affectionately on both their heads as he took in the crowd.

"Lord and Lady Aino, it's a shame. They are simple creatures really, as far as I can understand, living off their inherited fortune and throwing lavish parties. Most of you have probably never even heard of them," Ochas said, his mouth twitching upwards in what could have been a smile at the couple, but his eyes hardened in the next instance. "That's why I don't think they are enough to make my point. You are my vassals now to do with as I please – to kill, to take, to feed, to fight. I will not accept rebellion. I will not accept disobedience to any Arethian. I will not accept the filthy blood of Revlis that runs through your veins as being greater than my own. I trust my point is clear. Now, who would like to join the Lord and Lady Aino in serving as an example for what happens when you break such conventions?"

Some of the Revlis that packed around the edges of the Lunar Square tried to slink away with Ochas's implications sending a wave of fear through the crowd. However, every street found a wall of Arethian soldiers that had slipped into place when Ochas had first made his appearance, which effectively closed the square. Others were held by morbid curiosity, unable to find the will to move. Still those closest to the platform, instead of bolting for a possible exit, stood unmoving. It was akin to playing dead or even freezing in place so as not to provoke a large animal into attacking.

"No." The words slipped out of Haruka's mouth, but even after she realized she had spoken, she wouldn't have taken them back.

Ochas was making note of the Revlis citizens' reactions, looking oddly pleased at the general calm in Lunar Square, but he spared a glance at her. "No?" He murmured, "There is no one that can tell me no."

Haruka could feel Michiru's eyes on her, relief palatable when the emperor-king chose not to pursue the line of insubordination.

"Captain Sawmien." Ochas barked.

"Your majesty!" The officer standing at the bottom of the platform responded with a stiff, respectful bow, his full array of armor squeaking in response.

"Pick out some..." Ochas sneered, "…volunteers."

Sawmien inclined his head, a hand clenched over his heart in salute, but Ochas had already turned away. He stepped up close enough to Haruka in order to whisper into her ear, his voice low and threatening, "Tread carefully Uranus."

Haruka let the words wash over her, but her attention remained on the happenings below the platform. Sawmien prowled the line in front of the Arethian soldiers, eyeing the Revlis before him, who were finally beginning to show the signs of panic. Some of those at the very front scrambled to put as much distance between them and the Arethians as possible, but there was nowhere to go and the people behind them pushed back. Others cursed and shouted threats, fists raised. As Sawmien passed a particularly volatile group of youth, a young man spat at his feet. The captain scoffed and then backhanded the boy with a gauntlet covered fist. As he fell, Sawmien signaled for his soldiers and two dashed forward grabbing the boy off the ground. The captain drew his sword immediately to dissuade any ideas of attacking, the tip of the blade nicking a number of the Revlis as he made his point. The young man was dragged back toward the platform struggling as the soldiers laughed, and Sawmien continued making his selections.

Six in total were snatched from the crowd. There was a middle-aged man who glared, but didn't struggle. A young woman was grabbed from a few rows back, her screams as haunting as those of her loved ones that were helpless to do anything. Another young man who had lost all sense of self-preservation and had leapt at Sawmien, but the captain quickly subdued him. There was an older woman that was pressed up against the palace wall that Sawmien had selected, who immediately began murmuring prayers. And finally a large, stoic man who was covered in scars, an ex-Revlis soldier by the look of him, the calm he possessed flagging Sawmien's attention. These five joined the first young man next to the Lord and Lady Aino on their knees with their hands chained before the emperor-king.

There was anger from the crowd now; the fear and panic had passed. They bristled and a few heated shouts were heard clear. The Arethian soldiers began to get antsy as Ochas waited and waited, hands holding their spears twitching and ready to deal with the Revlis if necessary.

Ochas didn't rise to the anger of the crowd. Instead he crouched next to the older woman who was frantically murmuring prayers with her eyes closed. "Why are you praying?"

The woman didn't answer, her stream of prayers remaining unbroken.

"Why are you praying?" Ochas whispered again, "Your gods are right here."

The woman's eyes squeezed closed as if she was trying to throw herself into deeper concentration and block out Ochas's words. Ochas sighed, almost with exasperation, and with the crowd becoming more and more frenzied, gestured to Michiru. "Neptune, execute the crone."

There was seemingly no hesitation from Michiru, but only the closest of observers would have seem the barely perceptible shift in her stance and flash of anguish across her face. For a mere moment, she locked gazes with Haruka. They knew they were without other alternatives and Michiru saw the twin desperation and resignation in Haruka's eyes.

She moved fluidly up to the older woman, the thick, curved sword suddenly heavy in her hand. Michiru exhaled once, and spoke just loud enough for the woman to hear her, "I'm sorry."

The woman's head snapped up, her eyes a startling blue against her lined face. "Neptune?"

"I'm sorry." Michiru whispered again.

The woman looked back down, hearing the note of finality in the Guardian of the Seas' voice. Then she knew no more.

The crowd went utterly still, shocked into silence. The headless body fell forward, blood pooling on the platform. Michiru closed her eyes, unable to escape the feeling of the honed blade slicing clean through flesh with minimal resistance.

There was a scream of terror from the young woman on the platform. Ochas sighed, eyeing the girl with distaste. "How grating…Uranus?"

"As you wish." Haruka growled in obvious distress.

And the young woman met a similar fate.

At the sight of the second body, the Lord Aino began to hyperventilate, his terror plain to all eyes.

"Neptune, put the Lord Aino out of his misery. Uranus, the Lady Aino." Ochas commanded, standing back, looking almost eager to see the carnage unfold. Or perhaps just enjoying the obvious torment of Haruka and Michiru.

To the eyes of the crowd, their Guardians, for it was obviously their Guardians with those features and that presence matching the legends and text on them, methodically executed the chosen Revlis citizens with no hesitation and no grief. To their eyes, it was apparent: their deities had turned against them. Then there was just one left, the stoic, scarred man.

Haruka's blade was dyed red as she leveled with him, the sword held parallel to the blood-stained wooden floor of the platform. Before she could place the execution blow, distantly there was a shout that travelled through the relative silence Lunar Square. It was a clear, masculine voice, though it was certainly not coming from the Revlis clustered in the square. Haruka paused, just making out the words and an unbidden smile flashed across her face. She knew she couldn't hesitate for long, and she mentally willed for somebody else to take up the call.

The man on his knees before her did not disappoint. With raw, desperate passion, he bellowed the words, "The Princess lives!"

And suddenly, it was everywhere.

"The Princess lives!"

"The Princess lives!"

"The Princess lives!"

The crowd had become animated answering to the scarred man's call. Everywhere some one was shouting those words accompanied by wild cheers. The Arethian soldiers poised themselves to subdue with force as the Revlis grew more ardent. The man on his knees smiled even as death claimed him in a condensed blast of obsidian magic.

Then in a fury of that dark magic, Ochas leapt off the platform, pushing aside his own soldiers and strolling straight up to the Revlis at the front of the crowd. With one hand, he grabbed the throat of a man, lifting him up into the air and threw a magic-encased fist into his gut. The man choked once, and died. Ochas dropped the lifeless body go.

The Revlis around the emperor-king tried to scramble away, but again, there was no where to go.

Ochas gave his answer to the Revlis mantra, his voice raised and magnified by his magic, "This is a promise to you middling, plain Revlis and masked crusaders alike. So much of a hint of insurgence and you will be taken from your very homes to meet death. I will not discriminate between old and young, male or female, innocent or guilty. It matters not."

Then, casually, he took three more lives in quick succession with blasts of obsidian magic. Twelve Revlis in total for his twelve dead Arethian soldiers. Those around the bodies screamed in terror as they fell, smoldering with dark energy, yet still the call came back again. "The Princess lives!"

Ochas whirled, turning his back on the crowd, finished with them. Haruka and Michiru recognized the signs of fury even as he snapped a hand in their direction, the familiar feeling of Ochas's dark magic controlling their bodies spurring them to follow. It was a mark of how agitated he was that he chose a direct approach and decided not to enter a battle of wills and mind games with them.

Ochas stopped inside the gates as they caught up, the palace looming over them. He minced his words into an ominous hum, "The princess lives hmm? And why is that?"

Neither Haruka nor Michiru answered.

For a heartbeat, Ochas looked as if he was going to enter into a rage. The moment passed though, and instead he chuckled lowly. "No matter. I have plans for you two later. As for now…"

He trailed off, his eyes darting around in search of something. Or more aptly, someone. "Llematai!"

An almost waifish woman hailed the call from where she rested beneath a tree in the courtyard, passively and indifferently regarding the Arethians moving about with purpose. She rose to her feet, picking her way to the emperor-king. She looked like a typical Arethian with pale skin and dark hair, but her features were especially dark and her clothing, a wispy black dress, didn't help matters. Her eyes briefly landed on Haruka and Michiru before fully regarding the emperor-king. "Yes, your highness?"

"I will no longer wait for the princess's head. Assemble a team and set out immediately. Bring back her head at the very least, though if you can get her alive, that would be preferable. I grow weary of her ability to hide from my soldiers. I trust you can find a mere girl and her friends?" Ochas said.

"Of course, your highness." Llematai responded, inclining her head and clenching a hand over her heart. She disappeared quicker than she had arrived, seemingly vanishing from existence.

"A bit of a special operative." Ochas damn near grinned to Haruka and Michiru's disgust. "Not every one falls into the rank and file of military order. You're free for today."

They watched him march away into the palace, his mood abruptly changed from his earlier fury.

"You think he's off to the library again?" Haruka asked.

"Probably." Michiru answered. She looked out through the palace gates where many Revlis still lingered. Chants of 'the princess lives' were still clearly heard. "Do you know anything about this Llematai character?"

"No. I've seen her lurking around before, but I've never heard of her." Haruka responded, then taking a close look at Michiru. "You're worried."

"For his mood to change like that…She must be dangerous." Michiru rationalized.

"Has the Mirror shown anything?" Haruka asked.

"Nothing but the same for the princess. A dangerous threat. Unsettling dynamics. I think Ochas's magic may be interfering with my ability to read it though."

"What should we do Michiru?" Haruka suddenly sounded desperate. She could remember "Today…today was just…"

"I know. But what choice do we have?" Michiru answered, "We said we would stay alive and do what we can."

"If we could just get free of this curse!" Haruka growled, "I don't know how much longer I can deal with this." Her voice softened, "It's funny though...how happy I was to leave Miranda at first even if it meant I would turn my back on Revlis El'inmilnum. I remember watching their backs as they left me on Suwdin G'nrih...and still I feel such hatred for Revlis El'inmilnum...Yet now...Now I would do anything for Serenity's kingdom."

"Winds change, seas turn, we find out the truth." Michiru said, looking distant. She blinked, snapping back into reality, "These people should not pay for the betrayal we suffered. I forgot. In my solitude, I forgot humanity…Haruka, if we reach a point in which it looks hopeless…"

Haruka reached forward, wrapping a hand around the back of Michiru's neck and pulled her almost roughly against her. She ran a hand though the aqua hair, "Don't say it. Don't say that we won't…that we can't…"

Michiru hid her face in Haruka's shoulder, not caring about the presence of scores of Arethian soldiers marching around at arms. "If the worst happens…we can't let our actions forever be controlled by Ochas to use at his will…we'll have to…"

"We'll figure something out." Haruka whispered vehemently, "There's still Pluto. There's the princess. If she carries the blood of her ancestors…perhaps we can expect something remarkable. Once were free of this curse of his magic, we can fight back. For now, we have to do what we can."

Michiru smiled wanly, looking up at Haruka, "Of course. Perhaps…we can do a little research of our own. No more sulking."

Haruka ran her thumb over Michiru's cheek. "That's the spirit," She whispered.

"We should at least figure out what he's doing in the library so much." Michiru said, "And maybe we can find answers to Ochas's magic."

**Fin Chapter**

A/N: I hope this chapter was at least interesting. Sorry for throwing a bunch of random names at you at the beginning of this chapter. I figured actually naming the little people of the story would help the flow a bit.

!Anagram Corner!

Last chapter's anagrams were Amazon (Zanoam), Iapetus (Patusei), and Souichi (Siihuco)

This chapter's anagrams are:

-Genum Ku'gnae (each word is its own anagram)

-Sawmien

-Llematai

No hints this time. It's all BSSM somethings.

Yavapai's ExtraSpecial Pronunciation Guide:

Aliaxga: ally-axe-guh

Areth: eh-reth

Asliro: as-lee-row

Bunaju: boo-nah-jew

Genum Ku'gnae: gin-um coo-nay

Hawkai: hall-kai

Llematai: lay-mah-tie

Ochas: oh-chas or oh-kass, depending on accent

Onom: oh-numm

Patusei: pay-two-say

Revlis El'inmilnum: rev-liss el-in-mil-num

Sawmien: saw-me-in

Siihuco: see-who-co

Suwdin G'nrih: tsu-den gee-ray

Talrysc Kotyo: tal-risk co-tee-oh

Xhyndria: zen-dree-uh

Ym'dea Eesp: eem-dee-ah esp

Zanoam: zan-no-um

Next Chapter: Off to Genum Ku'gnae and Titan! There will probably be a little trouble along the way. And something else is revealed about Hotaru…

All reviews are appreciated and will be responded to!


	10. Ending Summary

Over the past year I've had actually quite a few requests to post a summary of the ending events. So here it is! Special thanks go to Meneldur who managed to get me to finally do this.

I could not find my original notes and outline, so this was all done from memory. The story is accurate (it's hard to forget your own story when you have it planned) but there are details and plot points missing. If you have any questions feel free to ask in a review or message.

I guess in total this accounts for an additional 12 chapters to RevEl and, if completed, would make the story roughly 200,000 words.

**Ending Summary**

Usagi's party makes it to Genum Ku'gnae and Titan (Saturn's shrine) after running through all sorts of problems. They had quite a bit of distance to cover and so the journey was rather substantial. Along the way, Llematai finds them and after some lovely mental and physical torture for our heroines (resulting in much angst of course) they regroup and defeat her-Rei specifically kills her. There is some relationship stuff that develops over the journey too. Makoto and Ami continuing being cute because damnit, there needed to be at least one sane, stable couple. Rei however, who just can't help herself any longer, despite recent distractions in the form of Minako, makes a move on Usagi. Cue Minako angst. Usagi reciprocates for a short time, and then, after separate talks with Setsuna and Hotaru realizes Mamoru is still her one and only. Cue Rei angst as she realizes Usagi's decision without even needing to be told and she beats herself up over "forcing" herself onto the princess and making her make that decision. Minako is there to pick up the pieces and by the time they reach Genum Ku'gnae, Rei and Minako are inching closer to something more than friendship. We also learn from Setsuna that Rei, when she killed Llematai, accessed a higher order of magic, formally making her an immortal-like being like the Outers. After this, her magic is no longer twisty and dark, which had been a problem up to that point. Setsuna keeps the information to herself though.

Meanwhile, Haruka and Michiru are done with angst (for the moment) and are all about action. There is some relationship fluff and maturing, but more importantly, they are researching everything they can about Ochas. They officially find out that, not that they didn't suspect, that he's an occult nut who seems to be researching every manuscript and document that mentions magic, enchantment, and the supernatural in the palace library. They also worry because material on Saturn keeps popping up among his research materials. Talking about the displays of his magic that they've seen and the research he's performing, they know he has a fearsome collection of spells in his repertoire. During this time they are also sneakily going about helping the rebels under Mamoru (though they never actually meet and the rebels don't even know they are helping). Ochas increasingly spends more and more time in the library to the point of ignoring all else, and Haruka and Michiru conclude that he must be on the verge of finding something thus they hypothesize that he's after something specific in the library. They discover that Ochas had not only visited Pluto's shrine, but also Saturn's shrine a number of years ago. Then one day he appears with the Garnet Orb, disturbingly gleeful. He gloats that he's found everything he needs to get Saturn. He grabs them and off they go to Genum Ku'gnae.

Usagi's party arrives at Titan. Hotaru's acting quite strange, and in the center of the shrine, they find a girl that looks exactly like her who holds a glaive. As the others talk, Hotaru approaches this physical twin and touches her. There is a deep purple light that engulfs the whole area and once that fades, Hotaru and the other girl are completely gone. As Usagi and the others begin to panic, Ochas shows up with Haruka and Michiru. Setsuna takes a look at Haruka and Michiru and is basically like "oh shit," while Ochas is all "muahahaha," throws some summoned demons of some sorts to occupy them, and then ignores them as he approaches the center of the shrine. He does some magic on Haruka, Michiru, and the Garnet Orb. Setsuna freaks out (as much as she can freak out anyway) and Haruka and Michiru are also compelled to pull out their talismans. Then there is a light show and Hotaru/Saturn appears comatose where she had just disappeared. Ochas gets Haruka and Michiru to attack Usagi's party along with his summoned demons and he begins to work some arcane spell on Hotaru/Saturn.

Meanwhile, Usagi focuses on some crazy magic of her own while her friends are battling out with Haruka, Michiru, and the conjured demons. They are especially trying to do everything they can to try to interrupt Ochas, but its just too much power on Ochas's side (even with Haruka and Michiru doing everything they can to resist Ochas's compulsion). As Ochas is on the verge of completing his spell on Saturn and her friends on the verge of defeat, Usagi pulls off a miracle and complete undoes Ochas's compulsion on Haruka and Michiru. She collapses afterwards, but with Haruka and Michiru's help they begin to make some progress defeating the demons. It's too late however as with a flash of purple light, Saturn opens her eyes. With Usagi out of commission, the others decide to retreat when they realize they're facing demons, Ochas, and a mind-wiped, controlled Saturn.

Amidst all of this, Ami specifically starts freaking out because all of what she knows about magic is just increasingly blowing up in her face. This begins her ascent with her magic (that Rei already took) that puts her on the same level as the Outers. Makoto takes this journey with her and it later becomes the catalyst for her own evolution. For Ami, once she deals with it emotionally, she figures it out intellectually without needing some sort of crazy fight to access her optimum level of magic. Setsuna notes the change in Ami and keeps it to herself.

Ochas is on a power high after successfully obtaining Saturn so he lets Usagi's party go, deciding he didn't want to waste the effort that would go into finding them in the desert. Basically he thinks now with Saturn under his wing, he doesn't need to worry about them. Later, he does regret that he doesn't have Haruka and Michiru around to toy with anymore and he also wonders if maybe he should have gone ahead and chased after them that way he wouldn't even have to think about Usagi anymore.

After this point, there is an interlude with Mamoru, Luna, and Artemis that basically just checks up on them. We see that their rebel forces have become very well organized and are continuously growing-enough so that they are in contact with rebels outside the city too.

Usagi's party regroups at a desert coastal city a couple of days away from the shrine. Haruka and Michiru tell their story and what they know of Ochas and his actions. Setsuna believes that when Ochas, as a young man impatient for power, visited Titan years ago (learned from Haruka and Michiru) he attempted some form of magic that would forcefully awaken Saturn. Though Ochas failed at the time, Setsuna hypothesizes that his spell went completely wrong and split Saturn into two beings or that the spell worked, but gave Saturn a chance to set off a defense mechanism where she cast out her human form and left a corporeal, but spiritual self still within the shrine to prevent the binding. In any case, Hotaru's lack of parentage is the result of being the human form that Saturn was originally, a split caused by Ochas's impatient attempt to grab more power.

Things are not immediately great among the group as they argue about what to do even though they all realize its obvious they need to attack the castle. Additionally, Setsuna decides that Usagi needs some training so she's able to do magic more often then when she's just desperate. There is a whole chapter dedicated to group interactions that specifically covers initial clashing with Haruka and Michiru evolving to friendly cooperation.

They begin to travel back to Talrysc Kotyo, but it's quite a distance so it takes a while especially considering that they're dodging Arethian soldiers that everywhere. (I think I had decided it would take them a month and a half to get back to Talrysc Kotyo.) The closer they get to the capital, the more on edge everything is. Rumors are flying around the country that Ochas has been even more crazy than usual. During this particular journey, a number of things of note happen among the group. Ami reveals her powerup in magic, and tells the group that she's seen a spike in Rei's magic too (Setsuna remains silent on this issue). Makoto worries over Ami's intellectual obsession with it all. Minako can't just make that leap with Rei (despite Haruka's prodding) because she's worried that Rei is still in love with Usagi. Rei isn't sure at all what she's feeling. Usagi is worried over everything and everyone with no time to pine after anyone. Haruka and Michiru bond with the group, have a private giggle over all the relationship drama, and also firmly set the ship straight on their relationship with the kingdom and with each other (much sex is involved of course).

When they reach the outskirts of Talrysc Kotyo, Ami and Makoto venture out scouting and enter the city to find Mamoru, Luna, and Artemis. Makoto gets an upgrade in her magic when, during a random skirmish with some off-duty Arethian soldier thugs, she snaps and tells a super analytical tactical Ami (who has been thinking and planning the group's every move and dwelling on all the magic she's witnessed), who freaks out slightly at this unplanned event, that sometimes you just can't think on everything and you have to go in with passion. The skirmish ends just fine, and Ami's all about the passion that night (woohoo!). Anyway...plans made, they go back to the others.

I remember that the final few chapters that covered the climatic battle versus Ochas were left unplanned in my notes. But there are certain things I knew I had planned to happen. Setsuna gets her Garnet Orb back and proceeds to kick major butt. Rei and Minako get together when Minako rescues Rei after essentially saying screw it-fully accepting that love she owns regardless of Rei's own feelings causes Minako's evolution. Usagi, to everyone's horror, take a bad wound from Ochas just in time for Mamoru to see. Haruka and Michiru step in and fight Ochas, and somehow through sheer awesomeness (and maybe a little help from Setsuna) they break Ochas's hold on Saturn-explained through their familiarity with that particular magic. A free Hotaru heals Usagi and then Usagi, with Mamoru (rather uselessly) at her side takes down Ochas. During the fight, Ochas once again displays curiosity toward Mamoru. After a bit of verbal smackdown followed by a righteously physical one, Usagi wins. Ochas, his body twisted from his overuse of dark magic, disseminates into air disappearing as a negative Chaos.

RevEl ends with happily ever after for everyone of course. Setsuna and Ami get a lot of exposition. Usagi takes back her kingdom and rules as Serenity XII with Mamoru at her side. Countries that had been taken over by Areth reclaim their lands that had been lost under Ochas. Before the rulerless Areth loses its original territory to these other countries, it is revealed that Mamoru is a part of the royal Artehian bloodline and was spirited away to RevEl when Ochas began killing all those in between him and his throne years ago. Setsuna explains that not only did she originally advise Usagi's mother to appoint the Inner Senshi as guardians and companions, she finally tells them that have ascended to beings like the Outers (though Ami suspected). Usagi's special connection to the famous magic of her kingdom works the same way in granting her extreme long life. Usagi's queendom begins a golden age in RevEl with the Arethian territory coming under her control once she marries Mamoru. Additionally, Hotaru gets to have friends, Setsuna comes and goes as she pleases, and most importantly, Haruka and Michiru are free and able to enjoy the life together that they never had before.


End file.
